Six people are being treated for possible radiation exposure in Mexico

Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Five adults and one teenager are being treated for possible radiation exposure at a hospital in Pachuca, Mexico after possible contact with radioactive Cobalt-60 that was stolen and recovered this week.

Hidalgo state health official Jose Antonio Copca was quoted by state-run Notimex as saying the six individuals seem to have been in contact with the medical equipment container which held the radioactive material, and not directly in contact with the radioactive material, approximately 12 hours after the truck transporting it was stolen on Monday in Tepojaco.

The International Atomic Energy Agency issued an alert about the theft Monday after Mexican authorities notified IAEA that the stolen truck was transporting the cobalt-60 teletherapy source while en route from a hospital in Tijuana to a radioactive waste storage center.

Mexican authorities announced the recovery of the abandoned stolen truck and the radioactive cobalt cargo on Wednesday. The radioactive cargo had been opened, which led authorities to speculate that the thieves and anyone who may have come in contact with the open container would soon seek medical treatment for possible radiation exposure.

[CNN] [UPI]