Srinagar, Jan 6: Post the death of a family, doctors in Kashmir have cautioned against the overuse of heating appliances.
Doctors have issued dos and don’ts to prevent such incidents.
The valley has been witnessing increased cases of suffocation after exposure to Carbon Monoxide due to the heating appliances.
On Saturday, five members of a family from the Uri Gangyal area of Baramulla lost their lives due to suffocation in the Pandrethan, Panthachowk area of Srinagar.
Dr Aijaz Nabi Koul, head of the Infectious Diseases unit SKIMS told The Kashmir Monitor that a mass awareness is required to prevent such deaths.
“Carbon Monoxide (CO) is the main culprit behind such suffocating deaths. CO binds with hemoglobin and does not allow oxygen to be transported. CO has 200 times more affinity with hemoglobin than oxygen due to which we see an increase in such cases during winters,” he said.
Dr Koul said that people shouldn’t expose themselves to heating appliances for longer hours and allow ventilation while using such appliances.
“People should allow fresh air while using heating appliances. Don’t sit in a closed atmosphere. The accumulation of CO leads to dizziness, headache, vomiting, loss of consciousness,” he said.
Dr Koul said heating appliances, if used, should be given breaks.
He said the people exposed to CO due to suffocation should be immediately rushed to hospital for necessary treatment. “The windows should be immediately opened. The affected should be rushed to the area of fresh oxygen immediately,” Dr.Koul said.
He highlighted that deaths due to suffocation have been declining worldwide following massive awareness by the countries. “ International data shows suffocation death rates are falling in the world just because of awareness and prevention. We need similar awareness here also. Even those who survive after inhaling CO face brain issues like memory loss, tremors, personality defects, etc,” Koul said.
Experts also warned that individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are particularly vulnerable during the cold months.
“Installing carbon monoxide detectors in homes is important to prevent such incidents. People often underestimate the dangers of using traditional heating devices without proper ventilation. Carbon monoxide poisoning can be fatal, and it often goes undetected until it’s too late,” said Dr Lateef Ahmad, a pulmonologist.