[ti:Preventable Carbon Monoxide Still Claims Many Lives] [ar:Jonathan Evans] [al:Health Report] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]Many areas around the world suffer from frequent loss of electrical power. [00:05.53]People often must use other sources of power, [00:09.61]such as gasoline or diesel fuel. [00:12.70]But these other power sources can be deadly [00:16.33]if people do not ventilate the area in which they are used. [00:20.67]The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, [00:26.85]says that about 430 people die every year in the U.S. [00:32.38]from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. [00:35.67]Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas. [00:40.93]All fuel-powered engines produce carbon monoxide. [00:45.62]Recently, carbon monoxide killed eight family members [00:50.82]as they slept in their home in the U.S. state of Maryland. [00:55.10]An electric company had cut power to their home [00:58.89]because the family owed the company money. [01:01.77]They used an electric heater [01:04.46]connected to a small gas-powered generator inside the house. [01:09.41]Patrick Breysse is the director of the CDC Agency [01:14.23]for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. [01:18.01]He spoke to VOA on Skype. [01:20.86]He says the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning can be difficult to notice. [01:26.91]The gas is colorless. It has no odor or taste. [01:32.15]"If you happen to be sleeping at the time, [01:34.54]all this could happen to you without your knowledge." [01:37.82]Mr. Breysse says that small, moveable gas generators [01:42.57]are the most dangerous because people can operate them in their homes, [01:47.80]or in a boat or even a tent. [01:50.90]He says the best way to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning [01:55.33]is to learn how to use these gas generators safely. [01:59.16]"The number one step is to avoid using them [02:01.94]in any enclosed environment like indoor space. [02:04.61]The second this is we can encourage people to put [02:07.79]small carbon monoxide detectors in their home environments. [02:11.67]They are available in many parts of the world, and they are battery-operated..." [02:15.37]Mr. Breysse adds that deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning are always preventable. [02:22.22]Experts say that small generators should always be located outside [02:28.40]and at least 4.5 meters from the home. [02:32.09]Scientists also warn that long-term contact with low levels of carbon monoxide [02:38.77]can lead to difficulty thinking, memory loss and depression. [02:43.75]I'm Jonathan Evans. [02:45.69]¸ü¶àÌýÁ¦Çë·ÃÎÊ51voa.com