More than 600 children living adjacent to a smelting company in northwest China's Shaanxi Province have shown abnormal blood lead levels, a local official said Thursday.

At least 615 children, out of the total 731 under the age of 14 living in two villages near a smelting company at Changqing Township of Fengxiang County, have shown excessive amounts of blood lead after medical tests, He Hongnian, executive deputy head of Fengxiang County, told a press conference.

More than 600 children living adjacent to a smelting company in northwest China's Shaanxi Province have shown abnormal blood lead levels, a local official said Thursday. [Xinhua]

"Of them, 166 children were diagnosed as lead poisoning patients and need to be hospitalized. The lead content in their blood has exceeded 250 milligram per liter," He said.

"Their medical expenses will be covered by the county government," he said.

"The rest should be able to expel the excessive lead from their bodies through nonmedical treatments at home. The government will send milk, dried vegetables and dried fruits to them," he said.

The plant of Dongling Lead and Zinc Smelting Co. [Xinhua]

Health authorities have also expanded the test scope to more areas near the smelting company and 300 other children are receiving blood tests, he added.

The press conference was attended by 10 representatives of the residents from the Madaokou and Sunjianantou villages that are located next to the Dongling Lead and Zinc Smelting Co., who believed that children's sicknesses were linked to environmental pollution caused by the smelting company. But local environmental authorities have yet to publicize their results.