Cape Town - Ten cases of poisoning by carbon monoxide have been reported to the health department in the country.
In the latest incident, a couple and their two young children who moved braai coals inside their home in a bid to keep warm, died of carbon monoxide poisoning last month in New Woodlands in Mitchells Plain.
In the same month, three young children from Khayelitsha also died after eating a poisonous substance apparently from a dumping site near their home.
According to the World Health Organization’s World Food Safety report in June, food borne diseases affect one in ten people worldwide each year.
They said more than 600 million people fall ill and 420 000 die every year from eating contaminated food.
In 2015, the Poisons Information Centres at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital (PIHWC) was launched, and since then they have received over 100 calls related to carbon monoxide poisoning between May and August each year.
Danielle Cargnelutti, Communications for the provincial Department of Health and Wellness said about one third of these patients had pronounced symptoms, about 10% had severe symptoms, and that they had recorded one death.
Dr Cindy Stephen, director of the PIHWC said this winter they also experienced high numbers.
“The Poison Information helpline has received 10 cases so far this winter (2023), six of whom had moderately severe symptoms and all required hospitalisation, adults and children hospitalised across SA, not only children and not only at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.”
She added that no cases were admitted at Red Cross last year.
Carbon monoxide is known as a silent killer and is highly toxic and colourless and an odourless gas that can harm an individual who inhales too much of it, especially young children.
Stephen said in their latest case in Mitchells Plain, the family did not know of the dangers of using coals inside their home without proper ventilation and oxygen.
“The family had taken a drum of hot coals indoors and were overcome by the lack of oxygen,” she explained.
“As this incident shows, alternative heating sources may be effective at providing warmth, but they can also pose great risks if not used properly.”
She added that many people were not aware that burning coal, paraffin, wood, LPG or diesel, faulty chimneys, furnaces, faulty LPG gas appliances (flame burning yellow instead of blue) and exhaust fumes from generators or vehicles were the dangers of becoming carbon monoxide.
She said carbon monoxide prevented enough oxygen from being carried around the body.
“It causes people to have a headache and feel nauseous, dizzy, light headed, and confused,” she explained.
“More severe poisoning causes coma, seizures, heart rhythm disturbances, and even death.
The severity depends on the concentration of carbon monoxide in a room and for how long a person is exposed.
“Long-term effects can occur and are mostly related to mental health symptoms such as depression, anxiety, confusion, and generalised brain fog.
Earlier, Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia Van der Ross, said awareness and education was key in preventing food contamination and poisoning.
“The City’s Environmental Health Practitioners conduct thousands of inspections at food-related premises every year, enforcing standards to help reduce the risk of food borne and water borne illnesses, and we commend their efforts,” she said.
“Add to that the hundreds of education and awareness outreaches, and we start seeing just how seriously they take food safety, and how important it is for all of us to pay attention and implement the safety measures in our kitchens.”