UH OH

CDC Researchers Got Sick While Investigating Toxic Train Derailment

Seven CDC officials began to experience headaches, nausea, sore throat, and coughing while conducting a house-by-house survey of the town.

CDC researchers investigating the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, became ill with many of the same symptoms experienced by the town’s residents, according to CNN. In early March, seven officials began to experience headaches, nausea, sore throat, and coughing while conducting a house-by-house survey of the town, in which numerous respondents reported a similar sickness. “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,” the CDC said in a statement. Nonetheless, the symptoms cast further doubt on the ongoing assurances by federal agencies and Norfolk Southern spokespeople that pollution from the accident does not pose health risks to residents.