Fifty people die a year from carbon monoxide poisoning, according to a parliamentary report.

The All Party Parliamentary Gas Safety Group's six-month inquiry into carbon monoxide (CO) also estimates that 200 people are admitted to hospital every year as a result of CO poisoning and 4,000 suffer "low level" effects.

It is costing the NHS £178 million a year, the inquiry found.

Separate research published by the Gas Safety Trust last month said the number of deaths from CO poisoning has more than trebled in the UK.

Colourless, odourless and tasteless, CO is produced by the incomplete burning of fuels including gas, oil, wood and coal.

The parliamentary report said the actual number of people affected by CO poisoning is likely to be far higher but currently goes undetected because of a lack of awareness amongst the public and problems with diagnosis given the common nature of its symptoms, which include headache, nausea and sore throat.

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff, who chairs the group, said: "Low level carbon monoxide poisoning is a constant risk to us all. Because the gas is so difficult to detect, and the symptoms such as headaches so common, many people may be poisoned without knowing it."

The inquiry recommended a package of measures to raise public awareness, develop better regulation and improve detection of CO poisoning.

These include the government removing VAT on all carbon monoxide alarms and the Health and Safety Executive collecting data relating to CO injuries and fatalities.

"Carbon monoxide alarms must become as common as fire alarms, everyone needs to be CO aware," Baroness Findlay said.

"One take-away cup of coffee costs more than one year's protection by a CO alarm."

Article courtesy of Aviva PLC. Published 07-11-2011