Health | SSM reports carbon monoxide poisoning of two

The Health Bureau (SSM) has called on residents to take precautions when using gas water heaters following an incident of carbon monoxide poisoning that occurred last week.

According to the statement released yesterday, a gas water heater installed at the ground floor of the building located at Travessa dos Becos de Macau may have been the cause of two local residents inhaling carbon monoxide.

While they were asleep, the house’s external doors and windows were closed, with only the doors of both bedrooms open so that the room’s air conditioning was shared.

Upon waking up, both the mother and daughter experienced dizziness, cold sweating and paralysis in their limbs.

According to the SSM, the mother showed the most severe symptoms, especially after entering the bathroom. The two people were transported to the hospital by the fire department on suspicion of carbon monoxide poisoning.

After an investigation, it was found that the bathroom of a store located on the ground floor of the building was equipped with a gas stove for industrial use without exhaust pipes.

The SSM urges residents not to install gas cookers in sanitary facilities, and further warns that residents of multi-storey buildings should not discharge waste gas from gas stoves into the public exhaust of buildings.

It urged the public to ensure their residential water heater is installed by qualified service personnel.

Last year, the Fire Services recorded a total of 12 incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by improper use of gas water heaters. LV