UTRECHT, 17/12/06 - About 20 Dutch nationals will shortly be checked for possible contamination with the highly radioactive polonium-2010.

The Dutch visitors stayed in the Millennium Hotel in London between 31 October and 1 December. The former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko who was poisoned with polonium was also staying there.

The State Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has been commissioned by the health ministry to carry out the tests. The institute was not able to say on Friday how long they will take.