Smog blanketed Delhi sees rise in asthma cases

Cases of severe breathlessness, asthma and allergy have sharply risen in Delhi as the city remains blanketed in thick layer of toxic air due to the worst smog in 17 years.

Doctors and experts say that besides spike in fresh cases, health complications in people having a history of asthma, allergy or other related ailments have aggravated.

“Earlier 15-20 per cent pollution-related ailment cases were reported at our hospital. But now these have gone up to 60 per cent. 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,” says Dr S P Byotra, senior consultant and chairman of the department of medicine at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH).

Bronchiolitis is inflammation of the bronchioles, the smallest air passages of the lungs.

“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.

Delhi is facing its worst smog in last 17 years, prompting the high court to observe that it was akin to “living in a gas chamber”.

The Centre has termed it an “emergency situation” 

and called a meeting of environment ministers of all neighbouring states on Monday to curb stubble burning by farmers.

According to experts, it is estimated that over 20 per cent of the world’s population suffers from allergic diseases such as asthma, rhinitis and conjunctivitis, atopic eczema and anaphylaxis.

“We are seeing a rise of 60-70 per cent in ailment cases related to pollution. Cases of breathlessness, asthma, eye and skin allergies have jumped. We are getting patients as young as a two-month-old baby who had bronchiolitis. 

People who had a history of such ailments or are predisposed to them, such cases have also risen. Children are getting even more affected as their immunological state is low. Besides, the infections are taking longer than usual to subside,” says Dr Rahul Nagpal, Director and Head, Pediatrics, at Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj.

“Children should, as far as possible, avoid venturing out in the open early morning and late evening, and peak hours of pollution. The number of cases have increased due to the smog in the last few days,” says Dr V K Paul, pediatrician at AIIMS.

Cases of asthma and allergy have also doubled at Apollo Hospital in south Delhi, with doctors saying that cases of coughing, sneezing, and eye and skin allergy are on the rise in the wake of thick smog that has engulfed the city for past few days.

“The incidences have surely risen, and in many ailments it has almost doubled. Asthma, allergy and other ailments triggered by pollution have increased and it is the elderly, who are suffering the most,” consultant (internal medicine) at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Dr Suranjit Chatterjee says.

A thick shroud of menacing grey haze blanketed the national capital on Saturday even as pollution level breached the safe limit by over 17 times at places, prompting Chief Minister Arvind Kerjriwal to also describe Delhi as a “gas chamber”.

Kejriwal appealed to people to minimise the use of private vehicles in view of the situation and switch to public transportation facilities.

“Vehicular pollution is a major factor and it is my view that private vehicles should be limited and people should take up public transport more. The vehicles should have compliance with international green norms, but more than that we need sustained efforts to address this issue,” Chatterjee says.