There’s growing alarm worldwide about radiation poisoning, with
an explosion Monday morning at the No. 3 reactor of the
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex. A similar blast at the No. 1
reactor in the same complex released radiation into the
environment on Saturday, and while officials in Japan and the
World Health Organization have since described the public health
risk as “quite low,” concern about the potential of serious
health problems abound. Officials in the U.S. and U.K. have
released statements assuring the public that there is no
imminent radiation threat in these countries. Philippine
authorities have had to quash a text hoax that caused some
offices and classes to shut down after it warned of thyroid
health issues and the dangers of stepping outdoors without a
raincoat. Following are quick facts on radiation exposure and
its possible health consequences. Who is at highest risk of
radiation poisoning? The nearly 200 Japanese people who have
been taken to the hospital with suspected radiation exposure