'Poison gas' leak scale disputed

JILIN, Jilin: A city government official yesterday refuted reports that as many as 1,000 people had been hospitalized recently, allegedly because of poisonous gas leaking from a nearby chemical plant.

Wang Mingchen, deputy secretary-general of the city government in Northeast China's Jilin province, told a press conference that five hospitals had indeed received workers from Jilin Chemical Fiber Group Co Ltd since April 24.

But he said the number was 161 - not 1,000.