The Tennessee Poison Center has seen an increase in calls related to cleaning supply overexposure as well as a jump in people hospitalized after ingesting hydrogen peroxide as Tennesseans try to ward off the coronavirus.

Since the coronavirus hit Tennessee, health care workers at the center, housed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, have fielded more calls from people across the state who have possibly overexposed themselves to disinfectants.

Dr. Rebecca Bruccoleri, the medical director of the Tennessee Poison Center, told The Tennessean that people have phoned the center for concerns related to bleach, hand sanitizer and all purpose cleaners.

“A lot of it is just getting exposed," Bruccoleri said. "Someone might ingest it or they might get it on their skin and be concerned about it.”

The surging calls are on trend with what's being seen nationwide. Across the country, calls to poison control lines related to cleaners and disinfectants have jumped 20%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

And Bruccoleri, as well as Lysol, pushed back after President Donald Trump speculated during a Thursday news conference that injecting disinfectants may help fight the virus.

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President Donald Trump insisted Friday that he was being "sarcastic" when he raised the possibility of disinfectants being injected into people to combat COVID-19. (April 24) AP Domestic

“I think that people are looking for an answer and there’s a lot of misinformation on the internet," Bruccoleri said. "I think the important thing to stress is that people need to look at reputable websites and talk to their doctors before doing any alternative therapy. That’s a good screening measure.”

Increased calls related to bleach, hydrogen peroxide 

Specifically, the doctor said there's been increased calls regarding bleach and hydrogen peroxide. 

“Bleach should not be injected or ingested to prevent coronavirus," Bruccoleri said. No chemicals or cleaning products should, she said.

Most stores have been wiped of cleaning supplies, but bleach often remains, pushing more Tennesseans to turn to the chemical. 

Bleach is caustic, which means it can destroy tissue, especially if it's ingested. 

“It can be really, really dangerous," Bruccoleri said. “It can destroy your internal organs.”

Hydrogen peroxide has wrongly been touted as a cure-all for a variety of ailments and diseases, from cancer to HIV, and now the coronavirus. 

Bruccoleri said since January she's personally seen five patients, including children, who have required hospitalization because of ingesting hydrogen peroxide. After being admitted to the hospital, all the patients recovered. 

"This is incredibly rare," she said. “This is new for this area to have that kind of volume." 

Two teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide can let out a liter of oxygen in the human body, the doctor said. When that gas has nowhere to go, it can be deadly, especially if it settles in your brain or lungs. 

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Coronavirus in Nashville