Gulf Spill Poison Center Statistics

The Oil Spill and Calls to Poison Centers

As of 4:00 a.m. Monday, July 12, 2010, U.S. poison centers have taken the following number of calls regarding the Gulf Oil spill: 722 exposure calls (calls that involve someone being exposed to an oil-spill related toxin, be it oil, dispersant, food contamination or other associated toxin.) 499 information calls (calls seeking information about the health-related effects of the oil spill) Poison centers have taken exposure calls from the following states or countries: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia,  Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. Of those, Louisiana has received the most calls: 214, followed by Florida (191) Alabama (165), and Mississippi (83). Most exposures so far have been via inhalation, though dermal exposure is also commonly reported. Most common symptoms reported have included: headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, throat irritation, eye pain, coughing/choking and dizziness.

 

http://www.aapcc.org/dnn/NewsandEvents/PoisonCentersandtheGulfOilSpill/tabid/472/Default.aspx