New Delhi, October 21 (IANS). With the average concentration of particulate matter (PM) 2.5 in the national capital reaching 488 micrograms per cubic meter after Diwali, doctors in the city have reported a rise in cases of respiratory problems, eye irritation, flu as well as joint pain.
According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the overall air quality index (AQI) in Delhi-NCR remained in the ‘very poor’ category, reaching 400 on Tuesday, a day after Diwali.
Overall AQI stood at 347, while in many areas it was recorded in the ‘severe’ category.
“High pollution levels can worsen joint disease. Particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and ozone cause inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, which can lead to increased pain, stiffness and fatigue in arthritis patients,” Uma Kumar, head of the department of rheumatology at AIIMS, New Delhi, told IANS.
The expert urged arthritis patients to avoid outdoor activities, wear N95 masks and use air purifiers with good indoor ventilation to prevent the condition from worsening on high pollution days.
Doctors said that high pollution levels are increasing breathing and other respiratory problems among people.
He said that poisonous gases and chemical particles present in the air are causing problems like cough, cold, headache, dizziness, fatigue, insomnia and eye irritation.
General Physician Dr. Amit Kumar said that due to pollution, the number of patients in the out-patient department of every chest physician has increased by about 30 percent.
The concentration of poisonous gases like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, nitrogen dioxide, ammonia and benzene in the atmosphere has reached dangerous levels.
These gases are not only increasing difficulty in breathing, but are also having negative effects on the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.
Dr. Kumar said that five years ago, smoking was the main cause of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), but now pollution has become the biggest cause. He said that even if a person does not smoke, due to current pollution levels, he is inhaling toxic smoke equivalent to six cigarettes a day.
According to him, one cigarette produces pollution equal to about 64.8 AQI, while in the current situation a person is inhaling smoke equal to about 5.83 cigarettes.
Doctors of the city said that every day 300 to 350 patients are coming to OPD with complaints of difficulty in breathing, cough or chest tightness. Due to increasing humidity, dust and smoke particles are not able to go up into the atmosphere, causing a blanket of haze and smog.
Environment expert Sharanjeet Kaur told IANS that the air quality is likely to deteriorate further in the coming days due to atmospheric conditions.
Kaur said, “Today Delhi’s AQI remained very poor between 345 and 350. If the situation continues till the evening and there is no wind and the speed remains low, then it will be difficult for the pollutants to disperse and the pollutants may reach a more severe category in the next 2-3 days.”
Health experts have advised people to avoid going out in the morning and late evening, wear masks and use air purifiers or plants at home.
Children, the elderly and people already suffering from any disease should take special care, because pollution has a greater impact on their health.
–IANS
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