Report reveals dramatic increase in CO fatalities

Its Carbon Monoxide Hotspot Report 2011 includes the number of gas-related CO incidents gathered from media reporting throughout the UK.

This states that during the period between 1 July 2010 and 30 June 2011 there were 50 recorded incidents involving CO poisoning affecting 105 people.

Within this total were 25 fatalities - more than three times the number in the previous 12-month period - and 80 non-fatal injuries.

The GST says this proves that members of the public are still at risk from CO poisoning.

It also accuses both domestic landlords and holiday providers of failing to provide adequate safety certificates, while also suggesting medical professionals are similarly unresponsive or unaware of the serious threat posed by CO, frequently failing to diagnose symptoms correctly.

Data for 2011 shows that when people exhibiting symptoms associated with CO poisoning sought medical help, only 1 per cent were tested for this possibility.

Despite the dramatic rise in recorded incidents, the GST warns the real figures could actually be much higher.

It says more households should be fitted with a CO alarm. Of all the CO incidents recorded, none involving an alarm resulted in a fatality or serious injury.

However, only 42 per cent of people questioned owned an alarm and of those who do, 60 per cent revealed that it had yet to be installed.

The report also reveals that many people are still not getting their appliances serviced regularly.

In addition, blocked chimneys and flues are causing appliances in good working order to become a threat.