Health experts: since the start of the New Year, number of respiratory patients climbed by 30%

According to health experts, the number of respiratory patients has increased by at least 30% since the start of the year. Some of these patients have even been sent to the intensive care unit (ICU) because of low blood oxygen levels and respiratory distress brought on by extreme pollution. Due to the significant increase in air pollution, the sustained drop in the Air Quality Index after Diwali, and the worsening as we get closer to the New Year, this winter has been especially dangerous for people who already have respiratory diseases.

Also Read: Average air quality index of Delhi was recorded at 341

Increase in number of Respiratory patients by 30%

As more people are being admitted to the ICU owing to low blood oxygen levels and respiratory problems brought on by excessive pollution, health experts estimate that the number of respiratory patients has increased by at least 30% since the beginning of the year

As per Dr. Manoj Goel, Director of Pulmonology at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, “respiratory illnesses like bronchitis, chest infections, pneumonia, asthma, and COPD exacerbation, both in OPD and also needing hospital admission, have become much more common.” People are going to hospitals and claiming to have chest pain, a cough, breathing issues, and blood in their sputum.

Wintertime air pollution causes an upsurge in respiratory ailments

Dr. Goel attributes the spike in respiratory patients to the winter months and severe pollution. We have not found any new cases of COVID-19, but there is at least a 30% increase in the number of respiratory patients, the majority of whom have viral and atypical diseases. A severe increase in air pollution puts patients with respiratory conditions at special risk, which occasionally requires hospitalisation or a hard course of treatment.

According to Dr. Mayank Saxena, Senior Consultant and Unit Head Pulmonology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Vaishali, patients occasionally may require ICU care and quite extensive assistance since we are currently witnessing AQI readings at 400, which is serious. Respiratory illnesses increase in the winter because air pollutants accumulate in the environment.

Indo Gangetic Plain severely affected by low air quality

The head of the internal medicine division of C K Birla Hospital in Gurgaon, Dr. Ravindra Gupta, adding that environmental bacteria and viruses also contribute to the rise in respiratory diseases. The air quality index (AQI), which ranges between “poor” and “severe,” continues to fluctuate between those two categories over the Indo-Gangetic Plains.

The Indo-Gangetic Plains continue to have bad air quality days, with the air quality index (AQI) fluctuating between the “poor” and “severe” categories.Rain would, however, provide some immediate relief due to meteorological conditions, but as climate change progresses, these systems have also grown unstable.

Winter rain has been completely absent over the plains, according to meteorologists. Following this, a consistent wind pattern and slow speed are visible over the area.

Also Read: Air Quality Index: Delhiites breathe and enjoy the cleanest November Air, this year

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