China milk victims may have doubled to over 90,000Wed Oct 8, 2008 3:45pm EDT
By Yu Le
BEIJING (Reuters) - The toll of Chinese children ill
from toxic milk formula may have nearly doubled since
the Health Ministry's last public count, local media
reports show, but an official said on Wednesday the
number of new cases was falling.
Beijing is struggling with fallout from adulteration of
milk with the industrial chemical melamine. At home four
babies have died, and thousands of infants fell sick,
while around the world products made with Chinese milk
have been recalled.
The government has not updated figures issued on
September 21, when it said that 12,892 infants were in
hospital, 104 with serious illness, and close to 40,000
others were affected but did not need major treatment.
But reports from local media across the country compiled
by Reuters suggest the number of affected children has
risen to nearly 94,000, although most are not in a serious
condition.
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