263 people poisoned themselves with carbon monoxide in two weeks. Reports are increasing, especially in Île-de-France and Hauts-de-France.
France shivers and suffocates. The cause of this discomfort? The wave of great cold that hits the country and the heating methods that accompany it. Many French people do not respect the rules of caution, particularly in terms of maintenance. Result: 1,850 of them showed signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. Over the past two weeks, incidents have skyrocketed.
83 reports in two weeks
In the space of a fortnight, three people died from carbon monoxide. The balance sheet therefore stands at 11 deaths since the 1er September. This odorless and colorless gas is the product of imperfect combustion. The sources are multiple: fireplace, brazier, barbecue, poorly maintained boiler or generator.
Source : Public Health France
The national public health agency is alerted to the sustained rate at which poisoning is progressing. In two weeks, 83 reports were made, concerning 263 people. The majority of them were referred to emergency services. Hyperbaric medicine services accelerate the removal of carbon monoxide from the body. They are reserved for the most serious cases.
Three regions most affected
Some regions are much more affected by these incidents. This is the case of Île-de-France, which accounts for 20% of reports. Hauts-de-France and Grand-Est follow with 16% and 15% of alerts respectively.
In order to limit these poisonings, Santé Publique France recommends following a few precautionary measures: maintaining flues, boilers, inserts, stoves, etc. The French are also invited to “never heat themselves with appliances not intended for this use” , braziers for example. This advice is not useless since most of the reports are related to the use of a brazier or an indoor generator.
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