30% increase in number of respiratory patients this New Year, say doctors

Respiratory illnesses increase during the winter season due to air pollutants settling down in the atmosphere

Air Pollution, smog
Air Pollution, smog
IANS New Delhi
2 min read Last Updated : Jan 04 2023 | 5:20 PM IST

Health experts on Wednesday said there has been at least a 30 per cent increase in the number of respiratory patients this New Year, as some are even being admitted to the ICU because of low oxygen in blood and respiratory distress due to excessive pollution.

For people suffering from old respiratory illnesses, this winter has been super harmful amid a steep rise in air pollution and the Air Quality Index only going worse after Diwali, further deteriorating as we enter New Year.

"There has been a significant increase in number of respiratory diseases like bronchitis, chest infections, Pneumonia, asthma and COPD exacerbation, both in OPD and also needing hospital admission," Dr Manoj Goel, Director, Pulmonology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, told IANS.

People are coming with cough, breathing difficulty, chest pain and blood in sputum to hospitals.

"There is at least a 30 per cent increase in the number of respiratory patients. Mostly patients are suffering due to viral and atypical infections. We have not detected any new cases of COVID-19. This surge is because of the winter season and excessive pollution," Dr Goel added.

Patients with respiratory symptoms are very prone to a steep rise in air pollution and sometimes, it may require hospitalisation or an aggressive course of medication.

"Also sometimes patients may require ICU and very intensive support as we are now witnessing AQI levels at 400 which is severe," said Dr Mayank Saxena, Senior Consultant and Unit Head Pulmonology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Vaishali.

Respiratory illnesses increase during the winter season due to air pollutants settling down in the atmosphere.

"Also, respiratory infections increase with viruses and bacteria in the environment," said Dr. Ravindra Gupta Head of Department, Internal Medicine, C K Birla Hospital, Gurgaon.

Bad air quality days continue to haunt the Indo-Gangetic Plains with the air quality Index (AQI) oscillating between 'poor' and 'severe' categories.

However, weather conditions in the form of rain would bring some immediate relief but with increasing climate change these systems have also become inconsistent.

According to meteorologists, there has been an absolute absence of winter rain across the plains. In the wake of this, a stable wind pattern can be seen over the region and speed is also very slow.

--IANS

na/svn/

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Quarterly Starter

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

Save 46%

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online

  • Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

Topics :Indian doctorsdoctors in IndiaAir pollution studyDeli air pollutionair pollution in India

Gold price in Delhi today is ₹ 84,470, Click Here for other cities. Silver price in Delhi today is ₹ 84,470, Click Here for other cities.

First Published: Jan 04 2023 | 5:19 PM IST

Next Story