The mainland's announcement of a more-than-fivefold jump in the number of babies made ill by melamine-tainted milk powder was yet another sad reminder to parents whose children were affected and who have tried in vain to sue for compensation.
On Monday, for the first time since September, the Ministry of Health updated the figure for the number of babies affected by tainted milk powder made by Hebei's Sanlu Group and other dairy companies.
The ministry said six babies might have died, up from its previous toll of four, and more than 290,000 infants nationwide had shown symptoms of urinary disorders. Previously, authorities had said nearly 54,000 babies had needed hospital treatment.
The ministry's notice said 861 babies were still in hospital, with 154 in critical condition.
Melamine is an industrial chemical that, if consumed, can cause kidney stones. Adding it to substandard food, such as watered-down milk, artificially boosts its nitrogen content, allowing the item to pass tests for protein levels.
Its discovery in milk powder sent shockwaves through China and around the world, not only because of the scale of its impact but also because of allegations that lower-level authorities had covered up the scandal for fear of ruining the Beijing Olympic Games.
Sanlu and the Hebei government allegedly were alerted at least as early as July of the harm caused by the adulterated milk powder. Frantic parents queued for days to have their babies tested and treated for kidney malfunction, as the count of affected infants continued to surge, and more dairy producers were implicated.
