NEW DELHI: Hospitals across the NCR are reporting a noticeable rise in respiratory illnesses in the wake of Diwali, even as experts caution the full “mass effect” of pollution has yet to hit.
The city’s air quality index (AQI) soared past the 400 mark after the celebrations, putting many monitoring stations in the “severe” or “hazardous” category.
At Aakash Healthcare, pulmonologist Dr Akshay Budhraja noted that so far the bulk of the patients are those already living with lung ailments. “The mass effect of the pollution ailments is yet to be seen due to multiple factors,” he said.
Budhraja explained that Diwali arrived this year at a time when atmospheric moisture had not yet built up to trap huge loads of pollutants and that stubble-burning had only just begun. "As a result, the post-Diwali catastrophe we are used to witnessing across age groups, and even in healthy individuals, is not at that scale this year," he noted.
Similarly, at Moolchand Hospital, Dr Rajesh Meena reported an uptick in patients, but primarily among those with underlying conditions such as asthma or COPD. “Hospital admissions are also not very much,” he added.
On the other hand, at the CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, head of critical care and pulmonology Dr Kuldeep Kumar Grover said the hospital has already seen around 15 older patients presenting with pneumonia or respiratory failure, with 5 requiring hospitalisation.
“Cases with sudden onset of breathlessness and cough are increasing, and given the current situation, we expect this trend to rise further," he added.
Paediatricians flagged the vulnerability of young children in this period. Dr Anamika Dubey, Neonatologist at Rainbow Children’s Hospital, warned that while fireworks bring excitement, they also emit smoke, fine particulates, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
“These pollutants can stay in the air long after the fireworks are over, creating thick smog that can seriously harm babies and young children. Their lungs and immune systems are still developing, which means they breathe faster and take in more air for their body size. This makes them especially vulnerable to pollution-related damage,” she said.
