Press Releases
Government releases latest blood test results of citizens affected by lead in drinking water incident
The Government today (December 2) released the latest blood test results of
citizens affected by the lead in drinking water incident.
The latest batch of blood test results involves two samples from
kindergarten children, both of which show normal blood lead levels. Details
of the blood tests are in the Annex.
Taking reference from medical literature as well as local and overseas
experience, the Hospital Authority (HA) and the Department of Health (DH)
have derived the reference values of blood lead levels and corresponding
actions to be taken in various healthcare settings.
According to the established measures, the DH will perform lead exposure
assessment for all citizens with borderline raised blood lead levels, and
will arrange preliminary developmental assessment if they are children aged
under 12. The HA will arrange health evaluation and follow-up for citizens
with borderline raised blood lead levels who are children aged 12 or above,
adults, pregnant women or lactating women, and arrange ongoing blood lead
level monitoring for those persons with borderline raised blood lead levels.
As regards citizens whose blood lead levels are found to be borderline
raised, the HA has, according to established measures under the care plan,
continued to monitor their blood lead levels after the first blood test. For
children aged below 18 and lactating women, blood lead level testing would
be conducted in three months' time, and repeat 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 115 citizens have been
reviewed. Among the latest batch of review cases covering 12 samples, 11
show a normal blood lead level. The blood lead level of one child is still
on the borderline raised level. His blood lead level in the review is at
5.57 micrograms per decilitre. The DH will inform the child concerned of the
test results in the review. The HA will continue to follow up on this case
and will take clinical interventions as appropriate.
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 who are living in affected public rental
housing estates can also be made by calling the hotline.
As at 5pm today, the DH arranged 5,854 appointments for blood testing and
DH's hotline received 7,885 telephone enquiries.
Ends/Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Issued at HKT 19:31
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Annex