15 Oct 2008
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is investigating a case of a child with renal stone suspected to be related to the consumption of melamine tainted milk product.
The case was reported by a private hospital. This is the eighth case of its kind reported to the CHP.
The case involves an eight-year-old boy living in Yuen Long. It was reported that the boy has a history of consuming milk adulterated with melamine. He was once found blood in urine. His parents took him to a privatehospital for assessment and a renal stone was found in his right kidney. He was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital and is in stable condition.
In the 24 hours to 1pm today, the CHP hotline 2125 1133 had received 41 enquiries from members of the public, and this brings to 9,699 the number of calls received by the hotline since it was set up on September 21.
"A total of 3,323 callers claimed that they or their children had consumed milk products which were confirmed to have been adulterated with melamine, and 954 of the affected people, 510 males and 444 females aged from 1 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 were suffering from renal disease," the spokesman said.
The remaining 6,376 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 daily, caters for individuals who have consumed milk products contaminated with melamine or those who are experiencing renal symptoms.