More than 40 members of staff at hospitals where a dying ex-Russian spy was treated are potentially at risk from poisoning. Personnel at University College and Barnet hospitals had tried to save Alexander Litvinenko after he ingested a radioactive substance.
Of the 4,000 staff at the facilities, 160 have been assessed for possible contamination.
The Health Protection Agency said 49 had been asked to provide a urine sample. They are among dozens of people requiring further assessment.
Meanwhile police probing Mr Litvinenko's death are continuing to carry out investigations at new sites in London's West End.
Scotland Yard says police are examining the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel and 58 Grosvenor Street.
The news came after Italian academic and security expert Mario Scaramella returned to the UK to help police with the investigation.
He was with Mr Litvinenko at a Piccadilly sushi bar where the Russian may have been poisoned.
Mr Scaramella denies any involvement in the death.
Mr Litvinenko, an ex-KGB man and a fierce critic of Russian president Vladimir Putin, died last week of radiation poisoning.
Tests have a shown "significant" quantities of the radioactive substance polonium 210 in his urine.
Polonium has also been detected at an address in Grosvenor Street - the offices of security company Erinys - as well as at a hotel in nearby Grosvenor Square, the Piccadilly sushi restaurant and Mr Litvinenko's north London home.
The ex-spy's friends claim he was poisoned by the Russian security services for his outspoken criticism of President Putin.
Russia denies any involvement but Tony Blair declared no "diplomatic or political barrier" would be allowed to stand in the way of the investigation.
Traces of the substance have been found at a series of London addresses including the offices of exiled Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky.
He was a close friend of Mr Litvinenko but has also denied any involvement.
Eight people have been referred to a specialist assessment clinic and more than 1,100 have called a national helpline concerned that they could have been exposed to the deadly element.
A post-mortem examination will be carried out on Mr Litvinenko's body on Friday.
Source: SkyNews
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