Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Local sources report that a car bomb explosion has targeted the General Security headquarters near the Baniyas Court in the Tartous countryside, western Syria
Israeli artillery strikes target Khan Younis, the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian media: IOF arrest leader Jamal al-Tawil, who was liberated as part of the prisoner exchange, from his home in al-Bireh.
Palestinian media: 'Israel' launches two airstrikes on eastern Khan Younis, Gaza.
Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Gaza: Israeli occupation forces carry out demolitions in eastern Gaza City.
Venezuelan Foreign Ministry: The National Armed Forces will remain on alert and mobilized in the face of this extremely dangerous provocation.
Venezuelan Foreign Ministry: This is not a defense exercise, but rather a military aggression aimed at turning the Caribbean into a space for violence and US hegemony.
Venezuelan Foreign Ministry: The government of Trinidad and Tobago has surrendered the country's sovereignty to act as a military colony serving US interests.
Rapid Support Forces attack El-Fasher, west Sudan.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: One martyr and one wounded in an Israeli drone attack on the town of Hafir, west of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon.

Seven CDC health staffers fall ill while investigating Ohio disaster

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: CNN
  • 2 Apr 2023 08:53
4 Min Read

A CDC source says that all seven staffers who reported similar symptoms found it suspicious that they fell ill at the same time.

  • x
  • A resident displays a mannequin on their porch in East Palestine, Ohio, as cleanup from the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern train derailment continues Friday. (AP)
    A resident displays a mannequin on their porch in East Palestine, Ohio, as cleanup from the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern train derailment continues Friday. (AP)

Sources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told CNN on Thursday that seven CDC staffers that were sent to investigate the health impacts of a toxic spill that resulted from a Norfolk train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, on February 3rd, have fallen ill. 

The source said that all of the investigators experienced similar symptoms, ranging from headaches to sore throats, nausea, and coughing - symptoms similar to those of affected residents nearby.

"Symptoms resolved for most team members later the same afternoon, and everyone resumed work on survey data collection within 24 hours. Impacted team members have not reported ongoing health effects," a CDC spokesperson said in the statement.

The spokesperson noted that the eight other investigators had not reported any symptoms all along. 

The team that reported experiencing symptoms is from the CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, or ATSDR, a branch that assesses the health impacts of chemical exposures. Following the incident on February 3rd, the agency sent 15 investigators to East Palestine to conduct an Assessment of Chemical Exposure, known as an ACE investigation.

Better as soon as they left

A CDC source who requested anonymity told CNN that all seven staffers who reported similar symptoms found it suspicious that they became ill at the same time. However, the source noted that it is still unclear if the chemicals were the cause of it, as fatigue was not ruled out among other possible causes. 

As soon as they had left the area, the investigators reported that they had recovered quickly and later returned to continue their house-to-house survey. Due to this, the incident was not disclosed to the public, the source said, noting that reports of illnesses experienced by CDC staffers wouldn't usually be disclosed. 

"It adds confirmation that the symptoms reported by East Palestine residents are real and are associated with environmental exposures from the derailment and chemical fire," David Michaels, an epidemiologist and professor at the George Washington University School of Public Health, told CNN.

Related News

41% of health agency staff to be furloughed as US gov't shutdown looms

US Senate grills RFK Jr over vaccine policies, public health risks

Andrew Whelton, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Purdue University who has been traveling to East Palestine to conduct independent testing for the town, told CNN, "I think it is important for not only government officials to communicate with each other, but also to communicate their experiences with the public, so that everybody can understand what’s going on, and how help needs to be brought to East Palestine and the surrounding areas."

Read more: Ohio residents diagnosed with bronchitis from chemical exposure

Suing for damages

The disastrous Norfolk train derailment, which resulted in the contamination of air, soil and water in the area was reported as non-hazardous to human health by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

But residents who continued to report symptoms are doubtful of the agency.

Early survey results from the Ohio Department of Health revealed that 74% of the 514 residents surveyed reported headaches, 61% reported anxiety, 53% reported fatigue and coughing, 50% reported irritation and burning of the skin, and 50% reported sinus congestion.

The train derailment in East Palestine spilled more than one million gallons of hazardous chemicals, recklessly endangering residents and violating a total of 58 federal and state laws.

On March 5, local authorities reported that another Norfolk Southern train derailed in the US state of Ohio, and citizens have been told to avoid the accident site.

On March 15, the state of Ohio sued Norfolk Southern to ensure that the railway pays for all cleaning expenses and damages related to the toxic chemicals spilled during the derailment. 

"Ohio shouldn't have to bear the tremendous financial burden of Norfolk Southern's glaring negligence," Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said after filing the lawsuit.

Through the lawsuit, the State is seeking civil penalties and other economic losses from the incident. 

Read more: Biden outrages Americans, says he can't visit Ohio 'at present'

  • CDC
  • East Palestine
  • Train derailment
  • Environmental disaster
  • Ohio
  • Ohio derailment

Most Read

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025
What Marr evidently didn't seem to understand was that Hedges isn't saying that Western journalists manipulate the truth, but that they systematically amplify Israeli narratives they know are false. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Western journalists know they have a case to answer for their betrayal of Gaza, and it frightens them

  • Opinion
  • 24 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Sheikh Naim Qassem speaks during an interview with Al-Manar TV, October 26, 2025 (Screenshot)
Politics

Hezbollah ready to face 'Israel' in case of war: Sheikh Naim Qassem

A Russian cargo train arrives at Astara Railway Wharf, March 2018 (IRNA)
Economy

Tehran, Moscow to finalize INSTC rail project next month

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf addresses the media after submitting his candidacy for the Islamic Republic's upcoming presidential election in Tehran on June 3, 2024 (AP)
Politics

UNSCR 2231 termination marks major win for Iran’s diplomacy: Qalibaf

ap
Politics

'Israel' killed 40 Palestinian children in West Bank since January: UN

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS