Three people have been sent to a special clinic for radiological tests following the death of a former Russian spy in London, a spokeswoman for Britain's Health Protection Agency (HPA) said yesterday.

She said more than 450 people had called a hotline for health advice after the death of Alexander Litvinenko, whose body was found to contain a poisonous radioactive isotope, and 18 had been passed on to the HPA.

"Of those 18, three have been referred as a precaution to a special clinic for radiological assessment," she said, declining to comment on their symptoms.

Highly radioactive Polonium 210 was found in the body of Litvinenko, who died last week, and traces of radiation were found at his home, a restaurant and a hotel he had visited.

Health officials have offered tests to members of the public who have visited those places. The possible contamination of members of the public has heaped pressure on the government to explain what it knows about Litvinenko's death.

Home Secretary (Interior Minister) John Reid agreed yesterday to an opposition party demand for a statement to parliament on the case.

Police are investigating the case as a suspicious death and the affair has raised tension between London and Moscow.

The Kremlin has described allegation it was behind Litvinenko's murder as ridiculous, and Putin said the death was being used for "political provocation."

Local authorities said an inquest was expected to open on Thursday into the death of Litvinenko, a former KGB agent who died after a three-week illness during which all his hair fell out, his body wasted away and his organs failed.

Asked if anyone else was suffering radioactive poisoning or contamination, the HPA spokeswoman said: "The information I have to hand at the moment is the answer would be no, but as a precaution we've referred (the three) to this special clinic."

The 15 others will undergo standard tests such as analysis of urine samples, she said.

Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman said yesterday it was premature to jump to conclusions.

"The prime minister and other ministers have repeatedly underlined our concern about some aspects of human rights in Russia," he said. "In terms of this particular case, however, we do have to proceed carefully. There is a police investigation ongoing and we have to await the outcome."

Litvinenko had left the KGB's main successor, the Federal Security Service, came to Britain with his wife and son in 2000, was granted asylum and became a British citizen last month.

Source: China Daily