Delhi Pollution: Rise In Cases Of Prolonged Coughing, Throat Infection Amid Worsening Air Quality, Say Doctors

Medical experts at both government and private hospitals have cautioned people not to venture out early morning for doing exercises or take a walk.

A train runs its tracks amid hazy weather conditions, near Red Fort in Old Delhi. ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: Hospitals in Delhi have reported a rise in cases of prolonged coughing, throat infection, eye irritation and nasal discharge amid worsening air quality that has slipped into the 'severe' zone in many parts of the city.

The pollution situation here has also led to aggravation of existing bronchial asthma condition in many patients, doctors said, while adding that people across age groups are being affected by it.

Medical experts at both government and private hospitals have cautioned people not to venture out early morning for doing exercises or take a walk, and asked them to wear a mask when stepping out for work or market or other places.

Many parts of Delhi recorded their air quality in the 'severe' zone on Thursday, with a persistent smoky haze blanketing the city for the third consecutive day.

Amid a surge in farm fires and unfavourable weather conditions, scientists have warned of a spike in the pollution levels in the Delhi-NCR region in the next two weeks. This is concerning, as the air quality index in many areas has already exceeded 400.

Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, senior consultant, internal medicine at Apollo Hospital in Delhi, said, "Cases of health complications triggered by pollution have already been rising in Delhi over a long period of time, and so we are seeing such cases now as well of prolonged coughing, throat infection, eye irritation and nasal discharge, and other kinds of irritation." He said measures to curb pollution need to be taken at the government level and as individuals there is "not much that we humans can do, except perhaps taking precautions".

Chatterjee suggested using good-quality purifiers at home if one can.

Doctors at other hospitals also echoed his views while an association of private schools said yoga and a few other outdoor activities at schools here have been shifted indoor.

Dr Sumit Ray, Medical Superintendent, Holy Family Hospital, said, "We are getting more OPD and IPD patients for respiratory illnesses. We have seen a 25 per cent to 30 per cent rise in such illnesses in the last four-five days. Every year, these illnesses spring up around this time and worsen around Diwali and post festivities." Those patients being diagnosed with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) cases are those who are middle-aged or elderly, the doctor said, adding COPD takes time to manifest itself, hence the cohort suffering from it is older.

School-going children and younger people are reporting to hospitals with bronchial asthma, Ray said.

It was in 2021 that the hospital had started writing "pollution-related" illness in diagnosis for ICU patients, he said.

"For that to happen, we need to rule out that there is no other infection triggering the symptoms. It takes a longer time to do that. Maybe in another 10-12 days, we will be better placed to say whether there are patients whose conditions have been triggered solely due to pollution and not due to any underlying infection," Ray added.

Dr Subhash Giri, Director, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital in Delhi, said, "In the last one week, we have seen an increase in patients coming to OPD and emergency wings with spike in existing conditions. There are young patients coming to the hospital with worsening of existing bronchial asthma condition and elderly patients with spike in symptoms of COPD." The hospital is planning on starting a separate OPD for such patients, if there is a further increase in such patients coming to the facility, he said.

Dr Ambarish Joshi, senior pulmonologist, Primus Super Specialty Hospital, said, "Due to pollution we are getting several cases on a daily basis. As of now, we have 28 beds occupied, with 14 of those being in the ICU, and two patients on ventilators. These patients have reported a series of discomforting symptoms, which include itchy throats, burning eyes, and exacerbated allergies, along with congested lungs." Sudha Acharya, Chairperson, National Progressive Schools' Conference (NPSC), said, "Schools are going well and we have 100 per cent attendance of students too." "We suggest students to wear masks in case of any discomfort. But yes, there are certain initiatives. In case of deteriorating air quality in the city, we suspend outdoor activities and shift them indoors. Even now, we don't let students go out in the morning unless it is sunny outside. Yoga activities have been shifted to the auditorium from the field. Presently, we are allowing students to step out only after 10.30 AM," Acharya said.

An official of the Delhi's Directorate of Education, however, said no additional measures have been taken in view of the rise in pollution level and "we are continuing with our previous norms". 

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)