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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (October 17) received notification from the Hospital Authority of two cases of renal problems involving children who had consumed melamine tainted milk products.
These are the ninth and 10th cases reported to the CHP so far.
A CHP spokesman said the ninth case involves an eight-year-old girl living in Tuen Mun. It was reported that she had a history of consuming milk products adulterated with melamine regularly bought from the Mainland in the past three years.
A renal stone of about 4.5mm was found in her right kidney. She has no symptom of renal problems and is now in stable condition.
The 10th case involves a 22-month-old boy living in Tseung Kwan O. He consumed melamine tainted milk products.
He had one episode of passing pinkish urine in August. On October 9, his mother found blood stained matter of about the size of a rice grain in his diaper, likely to be a renal stone. However, a subsequent ultrasound examination did not reveal any stones.
He is in stable condition and is asymptomatic at the moment.
Meanwhile, in the 24 hours up to 1pm today, the CHP hotline 2125 1133 had received 36 enquiries from members of the public, and this brings to 9,801 the number of calls received by the hotline since it was set up on September 21.
"A total of 3,370 callers claimed that they or their children had consumed milk products which were confirmed to have been adulterated with melamine, and 977 of the affected people, 518 males and 459 females aged from one 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 are suffering from renal disease," the spokesman said.
The remaining 6,431 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 from Monday to Friday and from 9am to 1pm on Saturday, caters for individuals who have consumed milk products contaminated with melamine or those who are experiencing renal symptoms.
Ends/Friday, October 17, 2008
Issued at HKT 18:31
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