Kerala tourists tragedy in Nepal. Suspected Carbon Monoxide poisoning.
About a 8 Kerala tourists tragedy Indians are dying of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning in Nepal: precautions you can take
Suspected Carbon monoxide leakage from gas heaters.
A recent tragedy in which 8 tourists from Kerala were held in their room due to suspected carbon monoxide poisoning from the gas heater shows that precautions must be taken.
Eight tourists from Kerala were found dead in a hotel room in Nepal on Tuesday, reportedly due to carbon monoxide poisoning caused by outside heating in their room. It is not the first time that such an unfortunate incident has been reported. Several events have been reported in the past where people died after inhaling fumes from diesel generators, gas geysers, air conditioners, and other such devices. These devices often emit vapors, one of which is deadly carbon monoxide.
Inhaling carbon monoxide is potentially fatal. What is more dangerous, however, is that the gas is odorless and colorless, so people may not even notice that they are inhaling it. It is therefore important to understand what security measures can be taken to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Why is carbon monoxide dangerous?
Carbon monoxide is a by-product of combustion, and household products such as geysers, portable generators, stoves, and more can release this toxic gas. When carbon monoxide gets into a person’s body, it impedes oxygen flow and oxygen is removed from the body.
Within a few hours of exposure to carbon monoxide, a person can feel light-headed and nauseous, and even lose coordination and balance. The symptoms can be mild to severe.
In a closed room, the lack of ventilation means that the toxic gas is trapped inside from gas heaters. This can be fatal because the gas is exposed to a higher load.
What to do if symptoms appear?
How do you know if you have symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning? According to the Center for Diseases Control (CDC), symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are described as “flu-like” without actually having the flu. Be careful of sudden changes in heart rate or breathing, and excessive and sudden dizziness.
If you experience mild symptoms in one person, turn off all gas stoves and heaters and open windows and doors to ensure better ventilation. Inform the local gas authorities immediately.
Treatment generally consists of re-oxygenating a person through an oxygen mask to ensure that oxygen-rich hemoglobin is produced faster, which provides the body with oxygen.
What can you do to prevent this?
Carbon monoxide detectors are available and can be installed throughout the home. These alert you when the carbon monoxide content increases.
In addition, precautionary measures such as ensuring proper ventilation and special caution when using gasoline powered engines and equipment, and proper vehicle care to ensure that no indoor fumes are trapped (when vehicles are parked inside) are some of the possible measures around you protect against carbon monoxide poisoning.