A 38-year-old woman has been diagnosed with carbon monoxide (CO1) poisoning after using a gas stove and a gas water heater at the same time yesterday, the Health Bureau (SSM) said in a statement yesterday, adding that the patient was in stable condition.
According to the statement, the woman is a mainlander and lives with her family in a flat on Estrada Marginal da Ilha Verde.
According to the statement, the victim developed symptoms of dizziness at 8 a.m. yesterday when she was using the gas stove and the gas water heater in the flat’s kitchen for five minutes. Her symptoms lasted for 30 minutes.
The patient was rushed to the private Kiang Wu Hospital immediately, where she received hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), according to the statement.
The patient’s two family members were in their bedrooms at the time of the incident and did not develop any symptoms, the statement said.
The statement said that the cause of the incident could be due to poor ventilation which allowed toxic gas to accumulate, adding that the kitchen windows were closed during the accident, stopping the carbon monoxide from being discharged out of the kitchen.
Those who suffer carbon monoxide poisoning may develop symptoms of dizziness, vomiting and nausea, or even death in severe conditions, the statement underlined.
The bureau stressed that when using gas appliances, one must ensure that the area is always well ventilated, while also urging those who believe that they are affected by carbon monoxide poisoning to stay calm, leave the place immediately, go to an open area, loosen their clothing and seek medical care promptly.
Image courtesy of Very Well Health Theresa Chiechi
