Housing sales up
SALES of new homes reached 798 last week, up 57 percent compared with the previous week. The average price of apartments sold reached 21,663 yuan (US$3,234) per square meter, statistics from the housing authority said Monday. The number of pre-owned apartments sold reached 2,395, an increase of 70 percent compared with the previous month. Xiao Xiaoping, an analyst with Centaline Property, said the increase was probably a result of a government rule allowing transactions started before Oct. 1 to be completed after the National Day holidays.
Hospital dispute
A PREGNANT woman was left unattended on an operating table for three hours after refusing to pay surgery fees demanded by doctors. Yang Tong, 22, a migrant worker, went to Runkang Clinic in Xixiang Subdistrict, Bao an District, to have a surgical abortion Saturday. She paid 840 yuan for the surgery. After pre-surgical checks, doctors demanded she pay 2,100 yuan for two additional procedures prior to the abortion.
Having no money, Yang refused to pay and was left on the table for more than three hours, Yang s boyfriend, Liu, said. Doctors agreed to take Yang off the table when Liu threatened to call police. Yang was later transferred to Xixiang hospital.
The clinic was unlicensed to perform surgical procedures, according to the Bao an district health authority, who is investigating.
Beach drowning
THE body of a man was discovered near a boardwalk near Dameisha beach in Yantian District yesterday morning. Police said the man had been dead for several days and probably drowned. Experts reminded residents not to swim when temperatures drop sharply.
