HONG KONG - THE Macau government says a ninth child has developed a kidney stone and that her illness may be linked to Chinese milk contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine.

A government statement says the 5-year-old girl attends a school where the authorities provide free milk for students. It says the milk is supplied by Yili Industrial Group.

Yili is one of several Chinese dairies implicated in a scandal on the mainland in which melamine-laced dairy products have killed four infants and sickened more than 50,000.

Melamine is used to make plastics and fertiliser. The Tuesday statement did not give details about the girl's condition.

Government spokesman Elena Au says health authorities are investigating the case. -- AP