Headlines

Monitoring of Carbon Monoxide PoisoningThe InVS bulletin dated January 26, 2016, on the monitoring of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning reports 556 cases since September 1, 2015, involving 2,169 people, of whom 1,265 were treated by a hospital emergency department and 265 were referred to a hospital hyperbaric medicine unit. A total of 11 deaths from accidental poisoning were reported. During the same period of the previous heating season (2014–2015), 665 cases were reported (2,477 people exposed, of whom 1,563 were transported to a hospital emergency department). Public access buildings (ERP) affected this season. Twenty-five poisoning incidents have occurred in public access buildings since September 1, 2015 (involving 571 people), including 2 in the last two weeks. The incidents, linked to a boiler, occurred in one case at a restaurant (exposing 1 person) and in the other at a hair salon, exposing 8 people to CO.The regions of Île-de-France (number of incidents: 78), Nord-Pas-de-Calais (78), Rhône-Alpes (66), and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (42) are the most affected by carbon monoxide poisoning. A regional summary is available on page 7 of this epidemiological report.In France, the main reporting entities since September 1, 2015, have been: - departmental fire and rescue services (SDIS): 49% of reports, - hospital emergency departments: 15% of reports, - hyperbaric medicine services: 9% of reports. Remember to report! Anyone aware of a suspected or confirmed case of CO poisoning, excluding poisoning caused by fire, is required to report it to the Regional Health Agency (ARS).