Update on public health issues related to Polonium-210 investigation

10 December 2006

The Health Protection Agency is continuing to provide expert advice on the public health issues surrounding the death of Mr. Alexander Litvinenko. Throughout, our primary concern has been to protect the public.

Po-210 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 hand-washing, or washing machine and dishwasher cycles for clothes, plates etc.

On the basis of the monitoring results received so far from a range of sites we still believe that the risk to the general public of having been exposed to Po-210 is likely to be very low.

Location Update

• 7 Down Street - Small areas of contamination were found and the HPA has recommended that these be remediated. Visitors and staff to the affected areas have been contacted and tested if necessary. In the public areas, no risk to public health has been found.

Test results update

The Agency's public health follow-up has included testing urine samples from those in close contact with Mr. Litvinenko, those who worked or were present in the affected areas and, where appropriate, those who called for advice via NHS Direct.

• 225 urine samples so far tested by the Agency have found nothing of concern. The Agency will be contacting these people to inform them of their results (This figure is unchanged from yesterday because these represent the total samples received and completed. Further samples have subsequently been received and these are going through the testing process).
• There are 8 samples which have shown exposure to some Polonium-210 ( Po-210). The levels are not significant enough to result in any illness in the short term and the results are reassuring in that any increased risk in the long term is likely to be very small.
• As of midnight Sat, Dec 9 NHS Direct had received 3,625 calls since HPA advice was issued on Sat Nov 25;
• Of those, as of noon Sun Dec 10 the HPA had followed up 612 people who it was assessed should be investigated further (of these, 204 had been in the Pine Bar on 1 Nov, had already been in touch with NHS Direct and are now being re-contacted. The overall total has increased following the decision to extend the period to include 31 Oct and 2 Nov);
• The total number of people - as of midnight Sat Dec 9 - referred as a precaution to a specialist outpatient assessment clinic for possible radiological exposure assessment is 29 (27 from NHS Direct, and 2 via other routes);
• As a precaution a total of 76 healthcare staff have been asked to provide urine samples for testing.
  
  

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

Notes to Editors:

1. Preliminary results received from seven members of staff working in The Pine Bar of the Millennium Hotel on Nov 1 show that they appear to have had some exposure to Polonium-210.
   Following this information we felt it prudent to assess any other staff who also were working in The Pine Bar of the Millennium Hotel, on Oct 31 and Nov 2. We are working with the hotel management to try and identify any other relevant staff. We have also advised that any member of the public who were in The Pine Bar on the 31 Oct and Nov 2 (in addition to Nov 1) contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647 who will pass on their details to the HPA for further assessment.
   Our advice has also been anyone who was in The Pine Bar on Nov 1 and who has not yet contacted NHS Direct to do so.
2. The Agency is writing to provide further advice to the people who were in The Pine Bar on Nov 1 and who have already contacted NHS Direct. A special helpline, staffed by experienced HPA staff, will be set up for these NHS Direct callers to provide further advice over the next few days. If these people wish, a urine sample will be tested. Arrangements will be made for information to be provided to international guests.
3. Overseas visitors who were in the Pine Bar of the Millennium Hotel on Oct 31, Nov 1 and Nov 2 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)
4. Further information is available on www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk and www.hpa.org.uk
5. Media enquiries to HPA London press office on 020 7759 2824 or 2834 or HPA CRCE press office on 01235 822 678 or 01235 822 744.
   If you are calling out of hours please use 020 8200 4400.

Last reviewed: 29 December 2008