Police officer given all-clear after seeking medical attention in connection with U.K. poisoning case
Hospital says officer who sought medical advice is linked to new investigation into Novichok exposure
A U.K. police officer who sought medical attention in connection to an incident in Amesbury, U.K., where two people came into contact with the deadly nerve agent, Novichok, has been given the all-clear, Wiltshire Police said.
Novichuk is the same poison used in an attack on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia Skripal.
"A police officer attended Great Western Hospital this evening for medical advice in connection with the ongoing incident in Amesbury," a spokesperson at the Salisbury District Hospital said Saturday.
The spokesperson also added that there is nothing to suggest there is a risk to anyone else at the hospital or the wider public.
The individual was then taken to Salisbury District Hospital, which is equipped to carry out the appropriate specialized tests required to identify exposure to Novichok, the spokesperson said.
A man and a woman in their 40s were hospitalized after being found unconscious at a residential building in Amesbury a week ago. They are said to be in critical condition.
When concerns over their symptoms mounted, samples from both patients were sent to Porton Down, a military research centre, where exposure to Novichok was confirmed.
The poisoning of the Skripals sparked a diplomatic row with Russia, after the U.K. said there was evidence the attack was carried out on behalf of Russia.