By Shalini Bhardwaj
New Delhi [India], November 15 : The Air Quality Index (AQI) remains severe to hazardous in Delhi NCR which is a leading cause of the rise in respiratory and chest infection cases in hospitals. According to Dr Sudhir Gupta, senior consultant, Chest physician and Bronchoscopist medicine, Kailash Hospital, Noida, "Patients suffering from respiratory diseases are definitely increased, since few days patient's are doubled in numbers and burden has also increased in OPD's, some are coming up with infected cough which isn't curable after taking normal medication. The situation has become difficult for those patients who are already suffering from respiratory diseases."
Some experts are saying that people who are non-allergic and have no history are also getting affected by air pollution, Dr Avi Kumar, Senior Consultant, Pulmonology, Fortis Escorts said, "We are seeing in our OPD patients with symptoms of breathlessness, wheezing, cuff and throat irritation, itching of the throat, nose block, running nose, ear block, eyes itching. So these symptoms are on the rise in many of our perpetuity patients, and in patients generally, those who are coming to us in an emergency. We are seeing a lot of pneumonia patients coming to us. They have no history of any smoking, or they have no past any immunocompromised status, but they are coming with pneumonia. So it's quite surprising that immuno-competent patients who have no history of smoking, are coming to us with presentations of pneumonia."
"I will advise most of our patients who are on respiratory medicines, who are on cardiac medications, liver or kidney medications, to stay at home, don't go for the morning walk. Whenever there is sun then only go for a walk, don't go unnecessarily to the markets. Secondly, those who are on the medications should take their regular medications. They should not leave their medications." Dr Avi recommended measures for people who come under comorbidities.