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Dead spy's contact doing 'well' Dead spy's contact doing 'well'
(about 3 hours later)
A contact of Alexander Litvinenko who tested positive for the same substance found in the Russian's body has shown no evidence of "radiation toxicity".A contact of Alexander Litvinenko who tested positive for the same substance found in the Russian's body has shown no evidence of "radiation toxicity".
Mario Scaramella is "well" and preliminary tests have shown he is not showing signs of illness, University College Hospital said. Mario Scaramella, an Italian, is "well" and preliminary tests have not found any signs of illness, University College Hospital said.
The Italian was one of the last people to have met ex-spy Mr Litvinenko before his death.
Officials had previously said he tested positive for traces of polonium-210.Officials had previously said he tested positive for traces of polonium-210.
Mr Scaramella's condition is said to have remained the same as it had been on Friday. However, his friend Paolo Guzzanti told the BBC that doctors had told Mr Scaramella he was going to die.
Mr Scaramella was one of the last people to meet Mr Litvinenko, a Russian former spy, before his death last month, which is being linked to the discovery of polonium-210.
Mr Litvinenko's wife Marina is also said to have been "very slightly contaminated" but is not ill.Mr Litvinenko's wife Marina is also said to have been "very slightly contaminated" but is not ill.
The Scaramella file resembles a story from a spy novel BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner Scaramella in spotlight Russians study Gaidar illnessThe Scaramella file resembles a story from a spy novel BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner Scaramella in spotlight Russians study Gaidar illness
Health officials stressed the public were in no way at risk, despite two people connected with Mr Litvinenko testing positive for radiation exposure. Easyjet said Mr Scaramella had flown on flight 3506 from Naples to Stansted on 31 October and also on flight 3505 from Stansted to Naples on 3 November.
Easyjet has confirmed Mr Scaramella flew on flight 3506 from Naples to Stansted on 31 October and also on flight 3505 from Stansted to Naples on 3 November. But the Health Protection Agency (HPA) said it had no "public health concerns" about those flights.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said it had no "public health concerns" about those flights. It also said all three British Airways planes at the centre of the polonium-210 scare had been given the all-clear and were able to return to service.
It also said all three British Airways planes at the centre of the polonium-210 scare have been given the all-clear and are able to return to service.
The airline has been trying to contact 33,000 passengers from 221 flights after traces of the radioactive material were found on two if its planes.
Mr Litvinenko's wife, Marina, was slightly contaminatedMr Litvinenko's wife, Marina, was slightly contaminated
On Saturday the Russian transport ministry's press service said traces of radiation have been found on a Finnish plane in Moscow that had flown from Berlin via Helsinki. On Saturday the Russian transport ministry's press service said traces of radioactive material had been found on a Finnish plane in Moscow that had flown from Berlin via Helsinki.
Professor Anthony Glees, from the Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies at Brunel University, told BBC Five Live "the fact that you could get it onto planes despite all the security measures that we all go through every time we fly, is causing very serious disquiet" within MI5. Experts from the Sellafield nuclear plant in Cumbria are now involved in the investigation into the Litvinenko poisoning.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed experts from the Sellafield nuclear plant in Cumbria are now involved in the investigation into the Litvinenko poisoning.
Mr Scaramella met Mr Litvinenko, a former KGB agent who had been a critic of the Russian government since defecting to the UK, at a sushi restaurant in central London on 1 November.Mr Scaramella met Mr Litvinenko, a former KGB agent who had been a critic of the Russian government since defecting to the UK, at a sushi restaurant in central London on 1 November.
It was later that day Mr Litvinenko fell ill.It was later that day Mr Litvinenko fell ill.
Friends believe he was poisoned because of his criticisms of the Putin government.
Moscow helpMoscow help
Russian Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov said Moscow was ready to help investigate his death and he did not see "any grounds for speculation" implicating the Russian secret service, the FSB (formerly the KGB).Russian Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov said Moscow was ready to help investigate his death and he did not see "any grounds for speculation" implicating the Russian secret service, the FSB (formerly the KGB).
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 tracesEXPOSURE 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
Dr Keith Patterson, of University College Hospital, said on Friday that the level of polonium-210 found in Mr Scaramella's body was of a "considerably lower level" than that found in Mr Litvinenko.
Meanwhile, the Ashdown Park Hotel, near East Grinstead, Sussex, has been given the all-clear after it was closed by officers probing the ex-spy's death.Meanwhile, the Ashdown Park Hotel, near East Grinstead, Sussex, has been given the all-clear after it was closed by officers probing the ex-spy's death.
And the HPA said a section of Arsenal's Emirates Stadium in north London had been checked as part of the polonium investigation but was also given the all clear. And the HPA said a section of Arsenal Football Club's Emirates Stadium in north London had been checked as part of the polonium investigation but was also given the all clear.
HPA chief executive Pat Troop said: "People should be reassured that we're not allowing anything to be open if we are not content about it."HPA chief executive Pat Troop said: "People should be reassured that we're not allowing anything to be open if we are not content about it."
The agency added that just under 3,000 people had now called the NHS Direct line, of whom 170 were followed up for further investigation. A total of 60 samples have been tested, mainly from medical staff and ambulance workers, and all have proved negative. The agency added that just under 3,000 people had now called the NHS Direct line in the wake of the radiation scare, with 170 being followed up for further investigation.
Protective clothing A total of 60 samples have been tested, mainly from medical staff and ambulance workers, and all have proved negative.
The number of people referred as a precaution to a specialist outpatient clinic for radiological exposure assessment remains at 24.The number of people referred as a precaution to a specialist outpatient clinic for radiological exposure assessment remains at 24.
A post-mortem examination on Mr Litvinenko, who died on 23 November, was completed on Friday.
Those present at the examination at the Royal London Hospital, in east London, wore 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 had been sufficiently worried by the contents of an e-mail to ask for advice from Mr Litvinenko.
Friends of Mr Litvinenko believe he was poisoned because of his criticisms of the Putin government.
UK civil contingencies committee, Cobra, met on Saturday to discuss the case.
Meanwhile health authorities in Ireland said on Saturday the ex-acting prime minister of Russia, Yegor Gaidar, had not been the victim of radiation poisoning.Meanwhile health authorities in Ireland said on Saturday the ex-acting prime minister of Russia, Yegor Gaidar, had not been the victim of radiation poisoning.
After he fell ill in Dublin his daughter, Maria, said he had been the target of a political poisoning linked to the Litvinenko case but the British Embassy in Moscow dismissed this suggestion.After he fell ill in Dublin his daughter, Maria, said he had been the target of a political poisoning linked to the Litvinenko case but the British Embassy in Moscow dismissed this suggestion.
Mr Gaidar's spokesman said they were still waiting for the results of tests carried out by doctors in Moscow.Mr Gaidar's spokesman said they were still waiting for the results of tests carried out by doctors in Moscow.