Woman hospitalised with carbon dioxide poisoning after 30 hours in sealed air-conditioned room

A woman in Heilongjiang was hospitalised with brain hypoxia after spending more than 30 hours in a sealed, air-conditioned room, with symptoms including dizziness, nausea and seizures caused by elevated carbon dioxide levels, mainland media reported.

The woman, surnamed Yin, remained in a closed room without ventilation for over a day on August 3. Her condition worsened despite taking painkillers, and she later suffered convulsions and confusion on the way to hospital. Doctors confirmed the cause was carbon dioxide accumulation and reduced oxygen levels, not the air conditioning itself.

According to indoor air quality standards, carbon dioxide levels should not exceed 1,000 parts per million (ppm). Tests by state broadcaster CCTV showed levels rose from 472ppm to 2,088ppm within an hour in a sealed 13-square-metre bedroom – more than double the recommended limit. Experts warned that home air conditioners do not bring in fresh air and advised ventilating rooms for 5 to 15 minutes every 2 to 4 hours.

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