China records drop in new pneumoconiosis cases

BEIJING - China reported a total of 24,206 new pneumoconiosis cases in 2012, posting a drop of 2,195 from the previous year, its health authority said on Monday.

Of the 2012 figure of newly reported cases, 12,405 were coal workers and 10,592 were silicosis sufferers, according to figures unveiled by the National Health and Family Planning Commission.

Pneumoconiosis cases accounted for more than 88 percent of the country's total reports of new occupational disease cases, which also included around 600 acute occupational poisonings, more than 1,000 chronic occupational poisonings and 1,500 others.

Nearly half of the new occupational disease cases were from the coal sector, while reports from the coal, railway, nonferrous metals and construction materials sectors accounted for 72 percent of the annual total.

Figures also showed that China last year reported 296 acute occupational poisoning accidents, leaving 601 people poisoned, 20 of them fatally.