The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) – In the wake of an incident at Covington Middle School on Jan. 31, local health officials have worked tirelessly
to understand the source of elevated carbon monoxide levels reported by community members. Dr. Cynthia Morrow, director of the Roanoke City and Alleghany Health District, provided an update on the situation during a meeting with area news reporters on Wednesday. Morrow explained that the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) was the leading agency investigating the initial incident at the school, where several people were evaluated for symptoms consistent with carbon monoxide poisoning.
According to the Virginia Health Department, “VDEM and the hazmat officers were the lead investigators in this particular situation. ” Morrow stated that the individuals evaluated on the night of Jan. 31 had slightly elevated levels of carboxyhemoglobin in their blood, which is an indicator of carbon monoxide exposure. However, she stressed that any elevated levels detected after that initial incident cannot be attributed to what happened at the school.
“Carboxyhemoglobin has a very short half-life, typically between four and eight hours,” Morrow explained. “So, any elevated carboxyhemoglobin level that was identified subsequent to that cannot be attributed to the school. The following Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, which is where we’re having the highest number of carboxy elevated carboxyhemoglobin levels shared with us, cannot be associated with the event that happened at the middle school on the 31st.”
In the days following the incident, Morrow said that dozens of community members had sought medical evaluations for potential carbon monoxide exposure, leading to reports of elevated carboxyhemoglobin levels. The health department is now working to investigate the source of these ongoing issues.
“We’re trying to empower people to know what the most common sources of carbon monoxide are,” Morrow said. “We certainly encourage people to have carbon monoxide detectors in their home, and we’re so thankful that one of the foundations is making those available to local people.”
While Morrow acknowledged the concerns raised by the community, she emphasized that the health department cannot determine whether the school building is safe to reopen. That decision, she said, will be made by VDEM and other subject matter experts. “We’re not the building inspectors, and we don’t have any authority over that,” Morrow said. “I do want to say, though, that we can’t attribute what’s happening in the community to what’s in the school.”
As the investigation continues, Morrow urged community members to be vigilant about potential sources of carbon monoxide in their homes and to seek medical attention if they have concerns about their health. “We want to make sure that there’s good information out there,” she said. “I don’t want any stone to go unturned.”
