What is anoxia and what are its symptoms? This was the cause of death of a Bogotá family in a San Andrés hotel.

On July 11, the death of a Bogotá family who had traveled to San Andrés for their vacation was reported. A month later, Medicinal Legal revealed that Tito Nelson Martínez Hernández, Viviana Andrea Canro Zuluaga, and Kevin Martínez (a child under 4 years old) died of anoxia.

The autopsy report of the family of the deceased in San Andrés, which was published by 'Noticias RCN', states that the death occurred after inhaling phosphine.

"It is a colorless gas heavier than air. Very high exposure to this gas could cause, in addition to bronchitis, pulmonary edema, seizures, and even death," reads the document shared by 'Noticias RCN'.

According to Medical News Today, anoxia is a serious medical condition involving the complete absence of oxygen in the body's tissues or organs. It differs from hypoxia, where there is an insufficient amount of oxygen, but not a complete lack.

Anoxia can be caused by a variety of factors, including cardiac or respiratory arrest, asphyxiation, strangulation, carbon monoxide poisoning, drowning, stroke, severe anemia , exposure to high altitudes, and lung diseases such as asthma or pneumonia.

The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) explains: “ Phosphine is a highly toxic and flammable gas primarily used to kill insects in stored grain. It can cause serious health effects, including death, if inhaled in high concentrations. ”

Similarly, it is specified that this gas may have an "odor similar to garlic or rotting fish, although in high concentrations it may be odorless."

In addition, phosphine causes headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and in severe cases, damage to vital organs or death.