Hospitals see spike in respiratory cases; air pollution may worsen in NCR

Delhi-NCR hospitals report a sharp spike in breathing-related cases as air quality turns 'severe' after Diwali; doctors expect numbers to rise in coming days

Hospitals in the National Capital Region (NCR) are seeing an increase in number of patients complaining of breathing difficulties and respiratory ailments, as Delhi-NCR’s Air Quality Index (AQI) crossed 400, which is considered “severe”, on early Tuesday, a day after Diwali celebrations.

 

Delhi-NCR recorded unsatisfactory AQI levels between 345 and 350 in the morning following Diwali, placing it in the “very poor’ category, while several monitoring stations crossed the 400 mark, entering the “severe” range.

 

Kuldeep Kumar Grover, critical care and pulmonology head, C K Birla Hospital, Gurugram, said that patients have been coming in with pneumonia and respiratory failure, with most of them being the elderly.

 

“Cases with sudden onset of breathing difficulty and cough are increasing. We have seen around 15 such cases till the afternoon, of which five have been admitted,” he added.

 

This is a 400 per cent rise from the two-to-three such patients that they were seeing in their outpatient departments (OPDs) every day.

 

While some hospitals are reporting higher cases, others have not seen an increase in patients visiting their OPDs.

 

Vivek Nangia, vice chairman and head for pulmonology at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, said that the number of patients has not risen as yet, and it is too early to expect it.

 

“One thing, however, is certain. Whoever is coming says that their cough, breathlessness, chest tightness, and nasal congestion have significantly worsened ever since the AQI levels increased,” he added. 

 

Sudhir Kumar Gupta, senior consultant (chest physician and bronchoscopist) at Noida’s Kailash Hospital, said that the sharp deterioration can primarily be attributed to extensive firecracker emissions, stagnant meteorological conditions, and temperature inversion, which trap pollutants near the surface.

 

Medical practitioners say that the number of cases is expected to rise further given the current situation, as concentrations of particulate matter (PM) 2.5 and PM 10 have reached levels known to cause significant respiratory strain.

 

“These fine particles can penetrate deep into the lungs, triggering airway inflammation, reduced lung function, and acute episodes of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),” Gupta said.

 

Symptoms, doctors say, are being seen across all age groups.

 

While vulnerable groups are usually considered to be those below five years and above 65 years, many youngsters and working individuals are also getting affected, as they are going out for their usual routines.

 

“This is especially true for those who already have underlying lung diseases like asthma, COPD, allergies, rhinitis or interstitial lung diseases,” Gupta said.

 

Research consistently shows that residents of Delhi experience a higher prevalence of cough, wheeze, and breathlessness compared to populations in regions with cleaner air.

 

“Even short-term exposure at these AQI levels may lead to throat irritation, coughing, burning eyes, and breathing difficulty, especially among children, older adults, and individuals with existing respiratory ailments,” said another doctor with a Gurugram-based hospital. 

Smog sick­ness

• CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, saw around 15 cases of severe breathing issues by afternoon — a 400% rise from usual numbers
• Majority of serious cases are among older adults and those with existing lung conditions
• Doctors report patients complaining of aggravated cough, chest tightness, and breathlessness
• Experts expect more cases in the coming days as PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels remain dangerously high