Update on public health issues related to the Polonium-210 incident

29 November 2006

The Health Protection Agency is continuing to provide expert advice on the public health issues surrounding the death of Mr Alexander Litvinenko.

The following is an up-to-date summary of all the activities, advice and data provided by the Agency or gathered as part of this on-going situation.

Small quantities of radioactive material ( Polonium-210) were initially found in a small number of areas at the Itsu sushi restaurant at 167 Piccadilly, London ; in areas of the Millennium Hotel, Grosvenor Square , London ; and at Mr Litvinenko's home in Muswell Hill. W e will be advising the local authority that there is no risk to public health in the key public areas of the Millennium Hotel.

The Agency is also aware of addresses where police have been continuing their investigation and it has been confirmed that traces of Polonium-210 have been found - 7 Down Street and 25 and 58 Grosvenor Street . The Agency has also monitored the key public areas of the Sheraton Hotel, Park Lane and we can confirm that in those areas there is no risk to public health.

All relevant areas in Barnet and University College London Hospitals have been checked for contamination and the HPA is satisfied that there is no contamination that would pose a public health risk. All these areas are now open for normal activities and to the public and staff.

As part of the on-going police investigations, a scientific team is testing two British Airways planes at Heathrow and making arrangements for a third plane to be tested. The tests are to assess whether there is any possible risk to public health.

The Agency will monitor all locations identified by the police as part of their investigations to assess whether there is any public health risk.

The Health Protection Agency wants to reassure members of the public that the risk of having been exposed to this substance remains low. It can only represent a radiation hazard if it is taken into the body - by breathing it in, by taking it into the mouth, or if it gets into a wound. It is not a radiological hazard as long as it remains outside the body. Most traces of it can be eliminated through handwashing, or washing machine and dishwasher cycles for clothes, plates etc.

Our advice remains to members of the public that anyone who was in the Itsu restaurant or who was in The Pine Bar or the restaurant of the Millennium Hotel, on 1 November should contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647. So far the following calls have been received:

• As of midnight Tues, Nov 28 the NHS Direct had received 1325 calls since HPA advice was issued on Sat (Nov 25)
• Of these, the Health Protection Agency has followed up 68 people who it was assessed should be investigated further
• And of those, 21 have been referred as a precaution to a specialist outpatient assessment clinic for possible radiological exposure assessment
• 160 healthcare workers needed to be assessed to determine whether they had been at potential risk of contamination. These assessments have been and as a precaution 52 healthcare staff have been asked to provide urine samples for testing
• A further 105 people to date - staff or visitors to the various locations under police investigation - have been asked by the Health Protection Agency to provide urine samples
• Of the urine samples tested so far by the Agency, all 16 found nothing of concern. The Agency has been contacting these people today to inform them of their results

 

This clinic is a specialist assessment clinic set up for patients reporting symptoms that potentially could have been caused by radiation exposure. This is to rule out radiation exposure as a cause of their symptoms. They will be referred for appropriate treatment for any other conditions which are picked up.

Patients at the specialist outpatient assessment clinic will be asked to complete a questionnaire, be assessed by a doctor and further tests will be carried out if they are considered necessary. Results of any tests taken will be made available to these patients - this should be within a week of receiving their samples.

The police investigation continues. We will provide further public information as appropriate.

 

Latest health advice on Polonium-210

 

Notes to Editors:

1. The HPA advice is that anyone who was in the Itsu restaurant, or who was in The Pine Bar or the restaurant of the Millennium Hotel on 1 November should contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647 where they will be given advice on what to do.

2. If you are an overseas visitor and were in the Itsu restaurant, or The Pine Bar or the restaurant of the Millennium Hotel on 1 November you should email the Health Protection Agency for advice: overseasadvice@hpa.org.uk. If you do not have access to email you can contact NHS Direct on 00 (44) 845 4647 but only via a mobile telephone if you are calling from abroad. (If this does not connect you please try 0845 46 47 instead - again only from a mobile)

3. Further information is available on www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk and www.hpa.org.uk

4. Media enquiries to HPA London press office on 020 7759 2824 or the HPA CRCE press office on 01235 822 678. If you are calling out of hours please use 020 8200 4400.

Last reviewed: 17 December 2007