Coronavirus may have caused spike in improper use of disinfectants with over 45,000 poisoned since January
More Americans are getting sick after accidental exposure to disinfectants that were purchased to kill the new coronavirus, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In the report, the CDC highlights the case of a woman who developed difficulty breathing, coughing, and wheezing while cleaning her groceries with a mixture of 10 percent bleach solution, vinegar, and hot water. Fumes from bleach can inflict damage on the lungs, leading to breathing trouble.
She is not alone to have experienced this issue. More than 45,000 Americans accidentally exposed themselves to disinfectants or cleaners between January and March 2020. The number indicates a 20 percent increase in poisoning reports, compared to the same period last year.
The increased poisoning could be due to improper use, including using more than directed on the label, mixing multiple chemical products, not wearing protective gear, and applying in poorly ventilated areas.
"The daily number of calls to poison centers increased sharply at the beginning of March 2020 for exposures to both cleaners and disinfectants," the CDC report read.
The report does not provide information showing a clear link between exposures and COVID-19 cleaning efforts. But because there is an uptick in poisoning in the recent past, the experts believe more Americans are increasingly using these products.
Among products listed in the cleaner category, more people fell sick due exposure to bleach: a 62.1 percent increase from 2019 to 2020. In the disinfectant category, nonalcohol disinfectants and hand sanitizers caused the maximum damage, both recording an increase of 36.7 percent.
According to the report, more people accidentally inhaled these chemicals. It saw an increase of 35.3 percent for all cleaners and 108.8 percent for all disinfectants.
As for age-related poisoning, the report said it did not find any significant increase across age groups. But over the years, more children aged 5 years and more have unwittingly exposed themselves to these chemicals.
The CDC report details the plight of a preschool child, who reportedly consumed an unknown amount of an ethanol-based sanitizer and fell unconscious on the floor.
Her blood-alcohol level shot up to 273 mg/dL — most state laws define a limit of 80 mg/dL for driving under the influence. "She was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit overnight, had improved mental status, and was discharged home after 48 hours," the report said.
The report has two limitations. First, the experts think they could have underestimated the rate and severity of poisonings because they based their report based only on calls received by the poison center. Second, the authors are not sure of the link between disinfectant exposures and efforts to prevent or treat COVID-19.
The experts advise that users must apply caution while dealing with such harsh chemicals. The report adds: "To reduce improper use and prevent unnecessary chemical exposures, users should always read and follow directions on the label, only use water at room temperature for dilution (unless stated otherwise on the label), avoid mixing chemical products, wear eye and skin protection, ensure adequate ventilation, and store chemicals out of the reach of children."