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'Spy hotel' workers test positive 'Spy hotel' workers test positive
(20 minutes later)
Workers at a hotel where murdered ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko held a meeting have tested positive for polonium-210, the BBC has learned. Workers at a hotel where murdered ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko held a meeting have tested positive for low levels of radioactive polonium-210.
It emerged that several workers from the Millennium Hotel in London's Grosvenor Square tested positive for low levels of the radioactive isotope. The Health Protection Agency said seven workers in the Pine Bar of the Millennium Hotel in London's Grosvenor Square appeared to have been exposed.
It is thought health officials will ask anyone who was in the hotel's Pine Bar on 1 November to contact NHS Direct. It has asked anyone who was in the Pine Bar between 31 October and 1 November to contact NHS Direct.
Mr Litvinenko's friends and family have attended his funeral in north London. It stressed the risk to the general public was likely to be "very low".
PoisoningPoisoning
The former KGB agent allegedly met an associate, Dmitry Kovtun, at the Millennium Hotel on 1 November.The former KGB agent allegedly met an associate, Dmitry Kovtun, at the Millennium Hotel on 1 November.
Hours later Mr Litvinenko fell ill.Hours later Mr Litvinenko fell ill.
Russian prosecutors are currently investigating what they are treating as the murder of Mr Litvinenko and the attempted murder of Mr Kovtun.Russian prosecutors are currently investigating what they are treating as the murder of Mr Litvinenko and the attempted murder of Mr Kovtun.
Funeral for murdered spy Funeral for murdered spy
A statement from the prosecutor's office said checks had established Mr Litvinenko died as a result of poisoning.A statement from the prosecutor's office said checks had established Mr Litvinenko died as a result of poisoning.
Daniel Sandford, the BBC's home affairs correspondent, said these latest findings would be of serious concern, although he stressed the levels of poisoning were found to be low. The HPA said that as far as the Pine Bar workers were concerned there was "no health risk in the short term and in the long term the risk is judged to be very small on the basis of initial tests.
"All of them of are assessed to have had intakes lower than the adult family member of Mr Litvinenko for whom tests also identified they had been exposed to polonium-210.
"Our first priority has been to speak with these staff members and agency experts have been explaining the results and answering any questions they may have.
"Following this new information we feel it prudent to also assess those staff who were working in The Pine Bar of the Millennium Hotel, on Oct 31 and Nov 2. "
Members of the public who were in the bar on these dates can contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647.
About 50 friends and family members of Mr Litvinenko attended his funeral at Highgate Cemetery in north London.About 50 friends and family members of Mr Litvinenko attended his funeral at Highgate Cemetery in north London.
Among the mourners were his wife and son.Among the mourners were his wife and son.