More than 160 people had been hospitalized after exposure to unclear gas in northeast China's Jilin Province and investigation into the event had been launched, said the local authorities.

Sick people receive treatment in a hospital in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin Province, May 13, 2009. More than 160 people had been hospitalized on Wednesday after exposure to unclear gas in Jilin province and investigation into the event had been launched, said the local authorities. [Xinhua]

The staff members of Jilin Chemical group Company Ltd. and residents around the company began to feel sick and dizzy when smelled a irritant gas since April 23 in Jilin City, capital of Jilin Province.

Hospitals had received more than 1000 people who suffered from the same symptom as of Wednesday, according to local health authorities.

The patients thought the gas were from Jilin Kangnaier Chemical Industry Company Ltd. neighbouring Jilin Chemical group Company Ltd., which had not confirmed by the government.

An investigation was launched soon after the municipal government received the report from Jilin Chemical group Company Ltd..

A sick person receives treatment in a hospital in Jilin City, northeast China's Jilin province, May 13, 2009. More than 160 people had been hospitalized on Wednesday after exposure to unclear gas in Jilin province and investigation into the event had been launched, said the local authorities. [Xinhua]

A work team consisted of officials from Jinlin Municipal Environmental Bureau, Jilin Municipal Administration of Work Safety and Jilin Municipal health Bureau.

An observation of the air started on may 5 and totally 18 monitoring points had been planted in the two companies, said Su Xuefei, deputy director of the municipal environmental bureau.

No pollution had been found in the air, Su said.

The local government has ordered Kangnaier company to stop operation.

The municipal health bureau had conducted four times of medical examinations for the patients and Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention had sent experts to Jilin, said Bai Huiying, deputy director of the municipal health bureau.

An assessment report was expected to be worked out in a couple of days, Bai said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 14, 2009)