Report finds child lead exposure rate in Oakland higher than Flint's

This Jan. 26, 2016 file photo shows a sign over the Flint River noting Flint, Mich., as Vehicle City. The state of Michigan will pay all Flint water bills in May to encourage the flushing of lead from old pipes and the recoating of plumbing with a corrosion chemical. less This Jan. 26, 2016 file photo shows a sign over the Flint River noting Flint, Mich., as Vehicle City. The state of Michigan will pay all Flint water bills in May to encourage the flushing of lead from old pipes ... more Photo: Carlos Osorio, Associated Press Photo: Carlos Osorio, Associated Press Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Report finds child lead exposure rate in Oakland higher than Flint's 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

An alarming new report from Reuters has found that lead contamination around the nation isn't restricted to Flint, Michigan — it is widespread and often far worse than Flint's headline-making levels.

Using neighborhood blood test results obtained from state health departments and the CDC, Reuters created a map of lead contamination around the US. It found that some children in Oakland are being exposed to lead at dangerous levels.

The only data available for Oakland was a test of 500 children in the Fruitvale neighborhood. The test showed that 7.57-percent had elevated levels of lead in their blood — much higher than the average nationwide rate of 2.5-percent, according to the CDC. You can view the Oakland stats in the map here.

It's also higher than the rate found in Flint during its 2014-15 water crisis; at that time, 5-percent of children had elevated lead levels.

"In children up to age 6, the CDC threshold for an elevated blood lead level is 5 micrograms per deciliter," Reuters reports. "Any child who tests high warrants a public health response, the agency says; even a slight elevation can reduce IQ and stunt development."

The Reuters study found nearly 3,000 areas with lead poisoning rates higher than those in Flint. The worst lead contamination rates were centered in industrial cities in the Midwest and in rural mining towns.

To read the full Reuters investigation, click here.