7 Deaths Linked to Small Magnets Found in Toys, U.S. Warns

 7 Deaths Linked to Small Magnets Found in Toys, U.S. Warns - The New York Times (nytimes.com) 

A federal safety agency warned this week that small, powerful magnets have been linked to seven deaths after they were ingested, announcing one company’s voluntary recall of a toy set that contained such magnets and issuing warnings about six other companies with similar toys. 
 
The agency, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, said on Thursday that it was aware of seven deaths, including two outside of the United States, and about 2,400 emergency-room visits between 2017 and 2021 linked to ingesting the small, high-powered magnets. 
 
The danger is that they could easily attach with magnets or other metal objects, making them an even greater hazard if swallowed along with another object. Even swallowed alone, the small magnetic balls pose a risk of perforation to or blockage of the intestines, blood poisoning or death, the commission said.