**********************************************************
The Government today (November 25) released the latest blood test results of citizens affected by the lead in drinking water incident.
Among the latest batch of seven samples, six are from kindergarten children and one is from a public estate resident, and all 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.
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 are living in affected public rental housing estates can also be made by calling the hotline.
As at 5pm today, the DH had arranged 5,854 appointments for blood testing and the DH's hotline had received 7,883 telephone enquiries.
Ends/Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Issued at HKT 19:30
NNNN
