Contamination in ex spy case ups pressure on U.K. to act

The health implications of the nerve agent attack on a Russian ex- spy and his adult daughter broadened Sunday when British officials conceded that limited traces of contamination were found in a restaurant and a pub in Salisbury, a city in England.

Public health officials said the risk of others being sickened by the chemicals that put the father and daughter in critical condition a week ago was very low. But they advised people who had patronized the businesses during a two-day period to wash their clothes, double-bag articles for dry cleaning, and to wipe down items like jewelry.

“It’s really important to understand the general public should not be concerned. There is, on the evidence currently, a very low risk.’’ Dr. Jenny Harries of Public Health England said during a news conference.

Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter, Yulia 33 were found comatose on a bench near Zizzi restaurant and The Mill pub on March 4. Several hundred people would have been in the Salisbury establishments that day and the day after, Harries said.

The public health concerns — and the seven days it took authorities to give instructions for reducing possible exposure risks — are increasing pressure on the British government to take action against whoever is deemed responsible for the rare nerve agent attack. Treasury chief Philip Hammond added his voice Sunday to the chorus of senior British figures vowing that strong steps will be taken if a foreign government is found to be responsible. Britain would “respond appropriately’’ in that case, Hammond said.

The government has not yet named the nerve agent used or signalled that the evidence collected so far suggests that another government is to blame. The widow of another Russian former spy who was poisoned in England and spent three weeks hospitalized before he died told the BBC Sunday that British officials have not made good on a written promise to take every possible step to prevent crimes like the killing of her husband, Alexander Litvinenko.

“It means something was not done,’’ Marina Litvinenko said of the attack on Skripal. “And the lesson that we received after the murder of my husband was not learned.’’

She said Prime Minister Theresa May signed the agreement in her earlier capacity overseeing domestic security as Britain’s home secretary.

In Salisbury, a medieval city near the ancient monument of Stonehenge where Skripal lived, health officials tried to reassure the public. They described the safety advice as precautions to prevent any ill effects that might come from repeated contact with minute amounts of the nerve agent. Harries said there was no evidence restaurant and bar patrons had gotten traces of poison on their clothes, but that it was “practical’’ to take proactive steps. Even so, Harries said clothing with traces of contamination would not cause harm after a few days; problems might develop if there was “repetitive’’ exposure over weeks and months, she said.

Authorities haven’t revealed how or where the Skripals were exposed to the nerve agent. They remain in critical but stable condition. A British police detective who came to their aid is also hospitalized in serious condition. He is said to be conscious and talking to visitors.

Hospital officials in Salisbury stressed there was no evidence of a wider risk beyond those three people, although at least 21 have sought treatment or medical advice since the attack.

The reassurances did not completely calm the concerns in Salisbury.

“I think they could probably have informed people a little bit sooner,’’ said resident Julia Hayes, whose daughter was in the pub about the time the critically ill Skripals were discovered.