Probe ordered for blood lead cases

Shaoguan (CNS) -- To get more complete data on the extent to which children are suffering from lead poisoning in Shaoguan, Guangdong Province, the city health authority conducted blood lead tests on local children from three to 14 years of age at Dongtang township on Wednesday.

Prior to this, six adults and 63 children were voluntarily tested for blood lead at the hospital, and the figures for 37 children went far beyond normal. Alarmed government officials held an urgent meeting to arrange physical checks covering the entire township.

Authorities have pledged to investigate the cause of the abnormality and deploy a medical plan for possible disease outbreaks. The local environmental office is required to supervise water emissions in case this is the source of the toxin.

So far, samples of air, soil, surface water and underground water have been sent for analysis. Water indexes have turned out normal, while earth and air tests are still underway.