China confirms six melamine deaths

BEIJING, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Twice as many infants than previously confirmed by the Chinese government may have died from drinking melamine-laced formula, officials said.

The Chinese Ministry of Health had previously said it could attribute three infant deaths to contaminated milk powder formula but they raised that number to a possible six deaths Monday, CNN reported.

In a statement, government officials also said they screened more than 22 million infants and children since Sept. 10 and found that contaminated milk has sickened nearly 300,000 children, which is six times the previously announced total of about 50,000.

The World Health Organization reported that four infant deaths from melamine ingested in China had been confirmed, CNN said.