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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health received notification from Kwong Wah Hospital of a case of a child with renal problems suspected to be related with the consumption of melamine tainted milk products.
A CHP spokesman said today (October 10) that the case involved a 10-year-old boy living in Yau Ma Tei.
It was reported that he had consumed three to four packs (250 millilitre/pack) of "Yili" brand high calcium low fat milk beverage daily for the past six years.
As there were changes in his urinary frequency, his parents took him to Kwong Wah Hospital for medical checkup on October 6. Two renal stones were found in his right kidney.
He is now under treatment and no hospitalisation is required. He is in stable condition.
The product concerned was earlier found by the Centre for Food Safety to have been adulterated with melamine, a chemical that could cause kidney stones leading to renal failure.
CHP is still investigating the case.
Meanwhile, in the 24 hours up to 1pm today, the CHP hotline 2125 1133 had received 62 enquiries from members of the public, and this brings to 9,491 the number of calls received by the hotline since it was set up on September 21.
"A total of 3,215 callers claimed that they or their children had consumed milk products which were confirmed to have been adulterated with melamine, and 915 of the affected people, 493 males and 422 females aged from 1 to 71, claimed to have symptoms of renal problems including dysuria and changes in the frequency of urination.
"They have been advised to seek medical attention as soon as possible to ascertain if they were suffering from renal disease," the spokesman said.
The remaining 6,276 callers had no history of exposure to melamine adulterated milk products and just asked for general health advice.
The CHP hotline, which operates from 9am to 5pm daily, caters for individuals who have consumed milk products contaminated with melamine or those who are experiencing renal symptoms.
Ends/Friday, October 10, 2008
Issued at HKT 20:12
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