China’s central government has intervened after hundreds of cases of lead poisoning at a private nursery in the country’s impoverished north west, days after local officials blamed industrial paint used to enhance the appearance of cafeteria food.
The rare move comes amid claims that blood test results may have been falsified to downplay the seriousness of the situation, delaying treatment for the sick children. Time is crucial in treating lead poisoning, particularly in children, who are most vulnerable to damage to the brain and nervous system.
Some 233 of the 251 children enrolled at Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui’s Maiji county had an abnormal blood lead level (BLL), according to a Tianshui government notice published on 8 July.1 More children may be affected, however, because …
