China food poisoning kills 40

Medical staff treated more than 400 victims

More than 40 people have died in eastern China after a mass outbreak of food poisoning which has affected hundreds of residents.

It is thought to be one of the worst such incidents in recent years in China.

Schoolchildren and migrant construction workers are reported to be among the victims.

This morning while I was going to work there were a lot of sirens and ambulances, the whole city knows that something terrible has happened

Nanjing resident

Hospitals in Nanjing city were swamped as more than 400 people were admitted after eating breakfast.

They appear to have fallen ill after eating sesame cakes, fried dough sticks and rice balls.

According to state-controlled media, the source of the outbreak has been traced to a local outlet of a chain of soya milk stores.

'Media gag'?

The outbreak began early on Saturday in the Tangshan area of Nanjing.

"This morning while I was going to work there were a lot of sirens and ambulances, the whole city knows that something terrible has happened", one resident said.

Victims had eaten traditional Chinese breakfast foods

A doctor told the BBC that more than 60 patients had been admitted to his hospital, of whom six or seven had died.

However other reports quoted Nanjing officials and health workers as saying they were not allowed to comment on the incident.

One local journalist told the French news agency AFP that officials had put a gag on the local media and ordered that the incident should not be reported.

Other reports said rumours of a much higher death toll were going round.

The two most senior government officials in the area - the Communist Party Secretary for Kiangs province, and the provincial governor - are overseeing efforts to deal with the incident, the website of the China's official People's Daily newspaper said.