Arsenic poisoning in China 'affects more people'

A case of arsenic poisoning reported last week in the Chinese province of Guangxi has affected more people, it has emerged.

The water supplies of Hechi City were found last week to be contaminated with arsenic, following the hospitalization of 19 people in the area.

However, the local government has now announced that the number of people affected by the poisoning has risen to 200 and has said tests have now been carried out on 640 residents.

Huang Jiale, director of the Guangxi regional occupational disease prevention and control institute, said: "Only a small number of the villagers affected show excessive amounts of arsenic in their urine samples, which usually can be cleansed in nine to 15 days."

The contamination is thought to be down to a typhoon causing the overflow of wastewater stored nearby.

Guangxi has a multinational populace of around 45 million people and is an ideal place for sightseeing, states travelchinaguide.com.