Delhi has been facing one of the worst period environmental wise and the relief cannot be sighted soon. As with the rise in pollutants in the air, there has also been rise in cases of breathlessness, allergy, and eye burning sensation in people along with rise in cases of asthma.
Dr S P Byotra is the senior consultant and chairman of the department of medicine at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi. In an interview with the Indian Express he said, “The most common problem is related to respiration. But this time we are seeing a rather large number of cases of severe breathlessness, coughing and sneezing and bronchiolitis due to the smog.”
He further continued, “Earlier 15-20 per cent pollution-related ailment cases were reported at our hospital. But now these have gone up to 60 per cent.”
“Children and elderly are the most vulnerable to infections and allergies due to smog and pollution. So, they should take extra care, and try not to venture during early morning and at dusk when the toxic level is highest,” Byotra says.
Check out Delhi’s air pollution levels here.
Delhi has been under such a severe air pollution blanket after 17 years and even the central government has declared the condition as an “emergency situation”.
At Apollo Hospital in south Delhi, the cases of asthma and allergy have doubled. Doctors are saying that the cases of coughing, sneezing, and eye and skin allergy on the rise ever since the thick pollution laden smog has engulfed the city.
“People who had a history of inclination to ailments such as asthma and allergies cases have also risen. Children are more prone to such adverse air quality, as their immunological state is low. Besides, the infections are taking longer time to subside,” says Dr Rahul Nagpal, Director and Head, Pediatrics, at Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj.
Originally published in Indian Express
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