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8h ago

Delhi-NCR Air Quality Sinks to Very Poor as Hospitals Log Respiratory Spike and Eye Cases Jump 50–60%

Doctors link the poor air to a sharp rise in respiratory and eye cases across Delhi-NCR.

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Vehicles ply on a road amid low visibility due to a thick layer of smog, in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)
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Overview

  • Delhi’s 24-hour AQI climbed to 373 on Thursday from 279 a day earlier, placing the capital in the CPCB’s very poor category.
  • Hospitals report heavier footfall for cough, wheeze, chest tightness and sore throat, with some facilities creating dedicated respiratory streams and short-stay bays.
  • A LocalCircles survey of over 15,000 residents found three in four households in Delhi-NCR have at least one unwell member with viral or pollution-linked symptoms.
  • Ophthalmologists, including experts at AIIMS and Delhi Eye Centre, report a 50–60% rise in patients with itching, redness and watering as PM2.5/PM10 irritate the ocular surface and damage the tear film.
  • Clinicians flag higher risk for schoolchildren, outdoor workers, older adults and contact-lens users, advising glasses, lubricating drops, rinsing with clean water, avoiding lenses and heavy eye makeup, and seeking care for persistent symptoms.