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| Contact in positive polonium test | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Italian Mario Scaramella, a contact of dead ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko, has tested positive for polonium-210. | Italian Mario Scaramella, a contact of dead ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko, has tested positive for polonium-210. |
| Mr Scaramella is not thought to be suffering physical symptoms but the amount found is "likely to be of concern for [his] immediate health". | Mr Scaramella is not thought to be suffering physical symptoms but the amount found is "likely to be of concern for [his] immediate health". |
| He met Mr Litvinenko at sushi restaurant Itsu in central London on the day he fell ill. | He met Mr Litvinenko at sushi restaurant Itsu in central London on the day he fell ill. |
| Meanwhile, the post-mortem examination on Mr Litvinenko, a former KGB agent, has started. | Meanwhile, the post-mortem examination on Mr Litvinenko, a former KGB agent, has started. |
| Those present at the examination at the Royal London Hospital, in east London, will wear protective clothing to avoid contamination by traces of the polonium-210 isotope. | Those present at the examination at the Royal London Hospital, in east London, will wear protective clothing to avoid contamination by traces of the polonium-210 isotope. |
| Mr Scaramella is involved in an Italian parliamentary inquiry into KGB activity and was sufficiently worried by the contents of an e-mail to ask for advice from Mr Litvinenko. | Mr Scaramella is involved in an Italian parliamentary inquiry into KGB activity and was sufficiently worried by the contents of an e-mail to ask for advice from Mr Litvinenko. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY I work in the one of the office buildings where polonium-210 has been detected, and we have had no assistance at all from the authorities Gate, London Send us your experiences | HAVE YOUR SAY I work in the one of the office buildings where polonium-210 has been detected, and we have had no assistance at all from the authorities Gate, London Send us your experiences |
| They met at Itsu on 1 November, although in the aftermath the Italian academic suggested he had not eaten anything. | They met at Itsu on 1 November, although in the aftermath the Italian academic suggested he had not eaten anything. |
| An HPA spokesman refused to confirm that the positive test related to Mr Scaramella, but said the amount found was "likely to be of concern for their immediate health". | An HPA spokesman refused to confirm that the positive test related to Mr Scaramella, but said the amount found was "likely to be of concern for their immediate health". |
| A statement said: "The agency can confirm it was informed this morning that tests have established that a further person - who was in direct and very close contact with Mr Litvinenko - has a significant quantity of the radioactive isotope Polonium-210 in their body. | A statement said: "The agency can confirm it was informed this morning that tests have established that a further person - who was in direct and very close contact with Mr Litvinenko - has a significant quantity of the radioactive isotope Polonium-210 in their body. |
| "This person is now to be investigated further in hospital." | "This person is now to be investigated further in hospital." |
| Cobra, the government's emergency planning committee, met at 1600 GMT on Friday, with a spokesman saying the Italian government had been informed of the situation regarding Mr Scaramella. | |
| UKIP MEP Gerard Batten, an acquaintance of Mr Scaramella, said he had seemed fine when they last spoke. | UKIP MEP Gerard Batten, an acquaintance of Mr Scaramella, said he had seemed fine when they last spoke. |
| "The last time I spoke to him, on Sunday I think, his worry about his own contamination had been allayed - he thought he was ok." | "The last time I spoke to him, on Sunday I think, his worry about his own contamination had been allayed - he thought he was ok." |
| Mr Litvinenko died last week in a London hospital | Mr Litvinenko died last week in a London hospital |
| The probe into Mr Litvinenko's death has seen two planes tested for radiation and a third is due back from Moscow for checks. | The probe into Mr Litvinenko's death has seen two planes tested for radiation and a third is due back from Moscow for checks. |
| Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell and Olympics chief Lord Coe travelled on one of the aircraft already tested. | Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell and Olympics chief Lord Coe travelled on one of the aircraft already tested. |
| The pair took a British Airways flight to Barcelona in November on board one of the two planes that have already been tested for traces of radiation. | The pair took a British Airways flight to Barcelona in November on board one of the two planes that have already been tested for traces of radiation. |
| Russia said it would co-operate fully with the inquiry into Mr Litvinenko's death. | Russia said it would co-operate fully with the inquiry into Mr Litvinenko's death. |
| Its Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: "The ball is now with Britain, everything depends on British investigators." | Its Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: "The ball is now with Britain, everything depends on British investigators." |
| EXPOSURE RISK Contact with carrier's sweat or urine could lead to exposureBut polonium-210 must be ingested to cause damageRadiation has very short range and cannot pass through skinWashing eliminates traces | EXPOSURE RISK Contact with carrier's sweat or urine could lead to exposureBut polonium-210 must be ingested to cause damageRadiation has very short range and cannot pass through skinWashing eliminates traces |
| Mr Litvinenko, an ex-KGB officer and critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died last week of radiation poisoning attributed to polonium-210. | Mr Litvinenko, an ex-KGB officer and critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died last week of radiation poisoning attributed to polonium-210. |
| The investigation into the spy's death has unearthed traces of radiation at 12 locations, including the two planes. | The investigation into the spy's death has unearthed traces of radiation at 12 locations, including the two planes. |
| British Airways is contacting 33,000 passengers from 221 flights, but the airline and the government have stressed any risk to public health low. | British Airways is contacting 33,000 passengers from 221 flights, but the airline and the government have stressed any risk to public health low. |
| A total of 217 people have been seen by a specialist assessment clinic. | A total of 217 people have been seen by a specialist assessment clinic. |
| Yegor Gaidar became violently ill with a mystery illness Ex-PM has mystery illness | Yegor Gaidar became violently ill with a mystery illness Ex-PM has mystery illness |
| On Friday the British Embassy in Moscow said there was no information to suspect any link between Mr Litvinenko's death and the illness of former prime minister of Russia Yegor Gaidar. | On Friday the British Embassy in Moscow said there was no information to suspect any link between Mr Litvinenko's death and the illness of former prime minister of Russia Yegor Gaidar. |
| Mr Gaidar fell ill last week on a visit to Ireland and his daughter Maria told the BBC doctors believe he was poisoned. | Mr Gaidar fell ill last week on a visit to Ireland and his daughter Maria told the BBC doctors believe he was poisoned. |
| Meanwhile, the FBI said it had been asked to join the British investigation into Mr Litvinenko's death.. | Meanwhile, the FBI said it had been asked to join the British investigation into Mr Litvinenko's death.. |
| Friends of Mr Litvinenko say Russian intelligence agents plotted to kill the former spy. | Friends of Mr Litvinenko say Russian intelligence agents plotted to kill the former spy. |
| Polonium-210 was discovered in his body, with more traces found at venues he visited in London on 1 November. | Polonium-210 was discovered in his body, with more traces found at venues he visited in London on 1 November. |