People To Be Tested For Radiation After Alexander Litvinenko Death

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Main Category: Bio-terrorism / Terrorism
Also Included In: Radiology / Nuclear Medicine
Article Date: 25 Nov 2006 - 21:00 PDT

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Alexander Litvinenko, who died of a large dose of radioactive polonium-210 in London, UK, may have come into contact with other people before he died. People who fear they may have been in contact with him are to have urine tests.

Traces of radioactivity have been detected at a sushi bar and the Millennium Hotel in London - Litvinenko had been in both places on November 1st. Traces of radiation were also found at Litvinenko's house in Muswell Hill, North London.

The Metropolitan Police say there is a two-week gap they need to fill. The police began investigating the case on November 16th, however, he was poisoned two weeks before. It is believed Litvinenko met two people at the Pine Bar of the Millennium Hotel on November 1st and some other people at the sushi bar in Piccadilly. Later on during the day of those meetings, he started to feel ill.

The police are urging people who were at those two places on that date to call NHS Direct, telephone number 0845 4647.

In order to try to find out who Litvinenko met on that day, the police are questioning witnesses and sifting through CCTV recordings.

Authorities stressed that this radiation is only a dangerous if it is taken into the body by drinking, eating or inhaling it. It can also get into the body through a wound. As long as the radiation remains outside the body it is not a hazard. In other words, it cannot pass through the skin, you have to ingest or inhale it.

A post-mortem examination of Litvinenko's body has been delayed, as there are concerns for the safety of those who would be carrying it out.

What is polonium-210?

Polonium-210, which was discovered by Marie Curie and Pierre Currie in 1897, emits alpha particles - they can be highly hazardous, depending on the dose. It is also known as radium F.

Polonium-210 exists naturally - we all have tiny amounts of it in our bodies, it also exists in small quantities in the soil and in the air. Large amounts destroy human/animal tissue.

Polonium-210 is extremely difficult for health professionals to identify.

Even though it is naturally occurring, for someone to be poisoned, a big dose would be needed - for that to happen, it would not be naturally occurring (it would be man-made).

For more information about Polonium, Click here (Wikipedia)

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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