China's Ministry of Health said on Wednesday that 3,654 infants nationwide were still receiving hospital treatment for kidney diseases caused by tainted powdered milk.

Three were in serious condition, the ministry said on its website.

The number of baby patients in hospital dropped by more than one-third from a week ago, when more than 5,800 infants were still hospitalized.

No child died from toxic milk last month and all the mortality cases reported to date occurred between May and August, the ministry said.

It said 46,717 children had recovered and left hospital since milk powder produced by Sanlu Group was found to contain the banned chemical melamine in mid September.

Further inspections implicated several other dairy producers.

On Wednesday alone, 105 children were newly hospitalized and 370 had recovered, the ministry said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 23, 2008)