Beijing life expectancy nears 82 years

BEIJING, Feb. 29 (Xinhua) -- Life expectancy in Beijing rose slightly from 2014 to reach 81.95 years in 2015, according to an annual report by the Beijing Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning.

The life expectancy rose by 0.14 years from the figure in 2014, the commission said. The infant mortality rate was 0.21 percent.

The top three fatal diseases were cancer, heart diseases and cerebral vascular diseases, according to the report.

It also pointed to increased medical expenses. Per capita medical expenses for outpatients at public hospitals stood at 436.9 yuan (about 67.2 U.S. dollars), up 3.8 percent from the previous year, adjusted for inflation.

Per capita residential treatment fees were 20,000 yuan, a year-on-year growth of 4.7 percent. Beijing medical institutions registered 240 million patient visits, up 50 percent from five years ago, the commission said.