Food Poisoning Rocks the Nation, Killing 4 People

Food poisoning has already killed four people while its shock prevails across the country.
So far, 1,163 people have fallen victims to the bacteria. Health authorities are alarmed
by the speed and early arrival of the bacteria which continues to spread.
This is unusual because typically more than 80 percent of food poisoning incidents occur between May and September.
It is the first time ever that the number of the patients suffering from sitotoxism has exceeded 1,000 in the first four months.
During the same period last year when the weather was irregularly hot due to the so-called El-Nino, the patients numbered only 899.
Officials say they haven't seen deaths by food poisoning in five years.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare explains that the deadly situation comes from the warmer weather conditions.
The average temperature last Winter was two degrees Centigrade higher than usual and the recent Summer like weather enables the bacteria that causes food poisoning to reproduce very quickly.
Shang-bok Shim : simsb@joongang.co.kr