CDC Research Team Members Fell Ill Studying Toxic Ohio Derailment, Agency Confirms

A resident displays a mannequin on their porch in East Palestine, Ohio, as cleanup from the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern train derailment continues, on Feb. 24, 2023. Matt Freed/AP Photo

Nearly half of a government team investigating the potential health effects of a toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, fell ill while conducting their research, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In a March 31 statement provided to The Epoch Times, CDC spokesperson Belsie Gonzalez advised that the illnesses occurred on March 6, when seven members of a 15-person team of CDC and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) staff reported symptoms such as sore throat, headache, coughing, and nausea.