Boy ill after drinking tea with disinfectant
Police and health officers are investigating a case in which a boy fell ill after drinking a bottle of tea that was later found to contain disinfectant.
The nine-year-old was admitted to Tseung Kwan O Hospital on October 5 after drinking a bottle of Tao Ti Oolong Tea he had bought from ParknShop the same day.
He recovered and was discharged from hospital two days later.
But a report released by the hospital late on Friday night revealed that the boy's urine and the remaining tea inside the bottle contained chloroxylenol, an ingredient in disinfectants.
The Centre for Health Protection said yesterday it was investigating the case with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the police.
It was an isolated incident, the centre said, adding that it had not received any similar reports.
The police said they were looking into any possible criminal aspects. Officers took away for examination bottled drinks from the ParknShop store where the tea was bought, but none contained chloroxylenol.
A police source said the boy, his family, the supermarket and the tea manufacturer would be questioned.
ParknShop and Wellcome said they would stop selling the product temporarily.
Telford International, the supplier of the product, said last night it had not received any warning or blackmail threat.
It said it did not use disinfectants in its plastic bottles and used only high temperatures to clean them.
It said it would not recall the products, but a hotline, 2366-9188, had been established for inquiries.
