Respiratory cases surge 30pc in city

With hazardous smog engulfing the capital in the past few days and air quality remaining on “very poor” level on Wednesday, hospitals have reported around 30 per cent hike in respiratory cases in the last two weeks. 

At 9 pm, the Particulate Matter (PM) 10 and PM 2.5 levels were 303 and 182 micrograms per cubic metre respectively, much more than the permissible standard of 100 and 60, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

Prominent pollutant
PM 2.5, the finest pollutant capable of making inroads into human lung and blood tissues and increase the risk of heart and lung diseases, was the most prominent pollutant in seven of the 10 monitoring stations of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The U.S. embassy's monitoring station recorded an air quality index of 207, which puts air pollution levels into “very unhealthy” category and cautions people with heart or lung diseases, older adults and children to avoid any physical activity outdoors.