Reuters AlertNet Lite - Litvinenko family member also exposed to polonium

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Litvinenko family member also exposed to polonium

01 Dec 2006 19:30:02 GMT
Source: Reuters

LONDON, Dec 1 (Reuters) - A female adult relative of poisoned Russian Alexander Litvinenko has been exposed to radioactive polonium 210 but is not in any short-term danger, British officials said on Friday.

Home Secretary John Reid told Sky News: "It is a fraction of the lethal dose that Mr Litvinenko himself had."

A spokeswoman for the Health Protection Agency said the isotope had shown up in a urine test.

"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," she said, adding that the woman was not in hospital.

Litvinenko, a former Russian spy who became an outspoken Kremlin critic, was poisoned by polonium and died last week.

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Last updated:Fri Dec 1 19:31:51 2006