Ho Chi Minh City authorities are planning to set up a major food safety agency as the number of food poisoning cases has been on the rise.

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The new agency, directly managed by the city’s administration, will have more authority in coordinating with relevant agencies and handling violations, according to the plan.

The current food safety agency of the city, managed by the Department of Health, has limited personnel and authority, the city’s Interior Department said in the plan.

A total of 248 people were hospitalized for food poisoning in the first four months this year, according to the Food Safety Agency. That was nearly equal to the number of patients with food poisoning in 2015.