The Health Bureau (SSM) said in a statement yesterday that a 43-year-old female non-resident worker (NRW) was diagnosed with carbon monoxide (CO1) poisoning yesterday after showering.
According to the statement, the Philippine woman was showering in her flat in Va Fai Building in Areia Preta at around 7 a.m. when she felt dizzy and fell on the floor five minutes after she had started showering, adding that she shouted for her roommate to help.
The statement said that her roommate got her out of the bathroom and rushed her to the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre where the victim was hospitalised for further treatment.
The statement underlined that the gas heater is installed in the flat’s bathroom, with no exhaust pipe. The statement said that the window in the bathroom was closed so that toxicity accumulated and caused the incident.
The statement reminded residents that when suffering carbon monoxide poisoning, one experiences dizziness, vomiting and fainting, a condition that is potentially fatal. The bureau stressed that when using gas appliances, one must ensure that the area is well ventilated as otherwise carbon monoxide could collect.
The statement noted that there are ways to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, such as ensuring that the room is ventilated, choosing quality gas appliances and using them properly, and installing carbon monoxide alarms in rooms that have gas appliances. The statement urged those affected by carbon monoxide poisoning to stay calm, leave the room immediately and go to an open area, loosen one’s clothing and seek medical help promptly.
Image courtesy of Seattle Fire Department
