Police are working with health authorities to trace the source of a potential rat poison contamination in Queensland's south-east as a cluster of patients recover after ingesting a key chemical in rat bait called brodifacoum.

Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls said the number of cases remained at five.

He said the patients, including one child, are from three families who are not known to each other.

"Those five people are receiving proper and good care, and they are all at home and recovering well," Nicholls said.

Rat poison reduces vitamin K in the body, which reduces the body's ability to clot blood.

Initially it was suspected the patients may have ingested the chemical through contaminated products served at a fast food outlet.

However, today Nicholls cast doubt over the

See Full Page