Delhi pollution news: Experts flag warnings for newborns, pregnant women; 'remodelling of lungs' in infants
- Delhi pollution news: Doctors warn that severe air pollution in Delhi will have the greatest impact on pregnant women and infants, with unborn newborns at a high risk of developing allergies later in life.
As air quality in several parts of Delhi-NCR plunged to the 'severe' category on Friday, doctors have warned that it will impact pregnant women and infants the most.
According to the senior pediatrician at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Dr Dhiren Gupta, pollution in Delhi will impact the young kids more than the adults. Dr Gupta said, "Once you are exposed in pregnancy, there is a very high chance that an unborn newborn will be allergic later on".
Dr Gupta suggested Delhi residents avoid going out early in the morning or late in the evening because the pollution level at that time is very high.
"Nowadays every road is like a smoking zone. It not only affects patients who are allergic or have asthma but also normal people," the doctor added.
Dr Sandeep Nayar, Principal Director, Chest and Respiratory Diseases, BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital said that the OPD has shot up to 20-30% in the national capital amid the fall in air quality in the city.
Dr Nayar appealed to people to wear masks, hydrate body and take a healthy diet.
"This is a gas chamber. If you go out, there is irritation in the eyes and pain in the throat of everyone. Our OPD has shot up 20–30 percent. When the poisonous air goes into the body, it will affect every organ," the doctor said.
Dr Nikhil Modi, Senior Consultant Respiratory Critical Care, Apollo Hospital, also advised to follow precautions.
"We are in that time of the year when pollution has started to increase once again. The number of patients with breathing problems has increased. More people have coughs, colds, water and irritation in their eyes, and breathing problems... People of every age are affected by this. The time has come for us to use masks. Go out only when needed," he said.
Delhi-NCR air quality
According to the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) latest data, the AQI stood at 498 in Mundka, 491 at Jahangirpuri, 486 in RK Puram, and 473 at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (T3) on Friday morning.
Also read: Delhi Metro update: 20 extra trains from today to tackle the ‘ticking pollution bomb’ in NCR
Moreover, AQI at multiple locations in Noida also plunged to the 'severe' category with Sector 62, Sector 1, and Sector 116 recording 483, 413, and 415 respectively.
New Delhi-World's most polluted city
New Delhi topped a real-time list on Friday of the world's most polluted cities compiled by Swiss group IQAir which put India's capital's AQI at 611 in the 'hazardous' category.
Every winter, a dense layer of smog forms over Delhi due to numerous reasons such as vehicle emission, construction dust, and stubble burning in neighbouring states.
Yesterday Delhi government shut all state-run and private primary schools for two days amid poor air quality.
The Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government has imposed an immediate ban on non-essential construction work. Restrictions have also been imposed on the plying of BS III petrol and BS IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Budh Nagar.
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