Press Releases
Government releases latest blood lead level review results of citizens affected by lead in drinking water incident
The Government today (December 16) released the latest blood lead level
review results of citizens affected by the lead in drinking water incident.
Among the latest batch of review cases covering 17 samples, 14 show a normal
blood lead level. The blood lead levels of three citizens - two children and
one adult - are still at the borderline raised level. Their blood lead
levels in the review are in the range of 5.40 to 14.18 micrograms per
decilitre.
The Department of Health (DH) will inform the citizens concerned of the test
results in the review. The Hospital Authority (HA) will continue to follow
up on the above citizens whose blood lead levels were found to be borderline
raised in the review, and will take clinical interventions as appropriate.
As of today, the blood lead levels of a total of 143 citizens have been
reviewed.
According to established measures under the care plan, the HA will continue
to monitor the blood lead levels of citizens whose levels were found to be
borderline raised in the first blood test. For children aged below 18 and
lactating women, blood lead level testing will be conducted in three months'
time, and repeated according to clinical assessment, until their blood lead
levels return to normal. Pregnant women will receive follow-up blood tests
until their blood lead levels return to normal.
Members of the public may call the DH's hotline (2125 1122) regarding lead
and its health effects. Appointments for blood tests for those who belong to
the more easily affected groups and are living in affected public rental
housing estates can also be made by calling the hotline. As at 5pm today,
the DH had arranged 5 854 appointments for blood testing and the hotline had
received 7 895 telephone enquiries.
Ends/Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Issued at HKT 19:07
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