SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (Ivanhoe Newswire) – When making vacation plans, most travelers include a safety plan to protect themselves against things like being stranded or getting mugged. Very few travelers consider the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning in their hotel or Airbnb, but just in the past year, leaks at six U.S. hotels killed two and injured at least 35. Here’s an easy way to protect you and your loved ones from this hidden danger while traveling.
The past 20 years have seen more than a thousand injuries from carbon monoxide leaks in U.S. hotels, with 32 people, including seven children, dying – that’s according to the non-profit Jenkins Foundation, which tracks carbon monoxide incidents at hotels.
While smoke alarms are normally required in every hotel room by law, there is no such law for carbon monoxide detectors, nor are they required by Airbnb, which has seen 10 carbon monoxide deaths in Chile and Mexico in the past five years. What makes the gas so dangerous is that it’s odorless and colorless. The most common causes of carbon monoxide poisoning in hotels are boilers and heaters used to warm swimming pools and water for an entire wing, according to Lindell K. Weaver, MD who specializes in carbon monoxide poisoning at Intermountain Health.
Dr. Weaver explains, “Carbon monoxide can go through drywall very easily. It can move through crevices and little holes. So, indeed, people often have been poisoned, sometimes quite a distance, remote, from the poisoning or carbon monoxide source.”
Dr. Weaver encourages travelers to buy a portable carbon monoxide alarm. They cost anywhere from $30 to $100, they’re small, and they don’t take up much room in your luggage. Packing at least one will protect you and your loved ones from the dangers of this deadly gas.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can often mimic other illnesses and oftentimes, travelers will write off the symptoms as travel-induced stress or food poisoning. It’s crucial to seek medical treatment as soon as you start feeling sick, and if you’re staying at a hotel or resort, there may be a nurse or medical professional on staff who can assess your condition.
Contributors to this news report include: Jessica Sanchez, Producer; Kirk Manson, Videographer; Roque Correa, Editor.
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Sources:
https://thejenkinsfoundation.com/travelsafe/hotel-co-incident-data/
MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS
RESEARCH SUMMARY
TOPIC: TOXIC VACATIONS: POISONED BY CARBON MONOXIDE
REPORT: MB #5316
BACKGROUND: Carbon monoxide, or CO, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is produced by the incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels. It is a highly toxic gas that can be harmful to humans and animals. CO is often referred to as the “silent killer” because its presence cannot be easily detected without special equipment, and exposure to high levels can be fatal. Carbon monoxide poisoning happens when there is CO build up in the blood stream. If there is too much CO in the air, the body replaces oxygen with carbon monoxide in the red blood cells. About 420 people in the United States die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning, and more than 100,000 people go to the emergency room because of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning.
(Sources: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/carbon-monoxide/symptoms-causes/syc-20370642
DIAGNOSING: If exposed too long, carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms can look like the flu without the fever. Clearer signs of CO poisoning include, but are not limited to: headaches, weakness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, confusion, blurred vision, and/or loss of consciousness. Doctors can usually diagnose carbon monoxide poisoning with a blood test, which should be done immediately in order to start treatment.
(Sources: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/carbon-monoxide/symptoms-causes/syc-20370642
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/carbon-monoxide/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20370646)
NEW TECHNOLOGY: Because carbon monoxide detectors are not mandatory like smoke detectors in places like hotels and AirBnBs, a lot of CO poisoning deaths have occurred as a result. Since carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless, it’s important to stay prepared. Invest in a travel-sized carbon monoxide detector when traveling. At home, make sure to check the batteries of your CO detector every six months, have your heating, water, gas, oil and coal burning systems checked by a qualified technician every year and keep vents debris-free. Never keep your motor running in an enclosed space like a garage. And never use a grill or camping stove inside of your home or tent. Always make sure you are outside when doing these activities.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT:
Erin Goff
(801) 376-8157
If this story or any other Ivanhoe story has impacted your life or prompted you or someone you know to seek or change treatments, please let us know by contacting Marjorie Bekaert Thomas at mthomas@ivanhoe.com
