CDC alerts clinicians to risk of CO poisoning in hurricane-affected areas

Clinicians should be alert for signs of carbon monoxide poisoning when treating patients from areas affected by Hurricane Florence, especially those without power, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in an advisory yesterday. Alternative power sources such as gasoline generators can lead to CO build up and poisoning if not used or placed properly, the advisory notes. Florence made landfall Friday along the North Carolina coast, where hospitals and health systems have been working closely with local emergency management agencies and the state to ensure care for all who need it during and after the storm. While the storm has been downgraded to a tropical depression, more than 500,000 homes and business remained without power this morning, mostly in North Carolina, the South Carolina Hospital Association reports. For more on the federal response to the storm and resources for providers, visit www.phe.gov. The North Carolina Healthcare Association and SCHA also are providing regular updates at www.ncha.org and www.scha.org.