Press Releases
Government releases latest blood lead level review results of citizens affected by lead in drinking water incident and announces corresponding blood test service arrangements
The Government today (September 26) released the latest
blood lead level review results of citizens affected by the
lead in drinking water incident and announced corresponding
blood test service arrangements.
According to established measures under the care plan, the
Hospital Authority (HA) will continue to monitor the blood
lead levels of citizens whose blood lead levels were found
to be borderline raised in the first blood test. For
children aged below 18, lactating women and adults, 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. For pregnant women, they
will receive follow-up blood tests until their blood lead
levels return to normal.
As of today, the blood lead levels of a total of 156
citizens have been reviewed in batches. The latest test
result showed that the blood lead level of one more child
has returned to normal. At present, among the above
citizens, eight citizens still with borderline raised blood
lead levels continue to receive blood lead level monitoring
from the HA.
As of today, the HA has completed 5,655 first-time blood
lead level tests for affected citizens. As the blood test
service demand for the more easily affected persons has been
met, the Department of Health (DH) and the HA will cease to
provide the dedicated blood test service starting from
September 30. As for the above eight citizens with
borderline raised blood lead levels, the HA will continue to
monitor their blood lead levels and follow up on their
health conditions according to the above-mentioned
established measures under the care plan, until their blood
lead levels return to normal. Members of the public may
visit the website of the Centre for Health Protection at
www.chp.gov.hk regarding lead and its health
effects or call the DH's general enquiry line at 2961
8989/2961 8991.
Ends/Monday, September 26, 2016
Issued at HKT 17:40
NNNN