Post-Diwali air pollution adds to respiratory distress, Noida doctors report rise in hospital visits

Doctors in Noida are reporting a rise in patients complaining of persistent cough, throat irritation, wheezing, breathlessness and allergic reactions, including among people with no previous history of respiratory ailments, as post-Diwali air pollution adds to the respiratory health burden in the city and the wider Delhi-NCR region.Delhi and neighbouring Noida woke up to toxic air on Monday, a day after Diwali, as firecracker emissions added to the national capital's already poor air quality. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)Delhi and neighbouring Noida woke up to toxic air on Monday, a day after Diwali, as firecracker emissions added to the national capital's already poor air quality. Around 80% of operational monitoring stations recorded 'severe' air quality between 10pm on Diwali and 6am the following morning, HT had reported earlier. As of the latest 9pm update, Noida's air quality index (AQI) stood at 327, placing it in the 'very poor' category, HT Pollution Dashboard, which tracks average readings from all monitoring stations reported by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), showed.Doctors in Noida witness a rise in patientsAt Fortis Hospital in Noida’s Sector 62, pulmonologists are seeing 20-30 new patients daily with allergic airway diseases, asthma exacerbations, persistent cough, wheezing and breathlessness. Doctors said the symptoms were being reported across age groups.“Patients are presenting with cough, throat irritation, nasal congestion, sneezing, wheezing and breathlessness. We are also seeing fresh cases among people who have never had these conditions before,” said Dr Rahul Sharma, director, pulmonology and critical care, Fortis Hospital.He added that people who had relocated to Noida from other parts of India, including southern states, were also reporting respiratory symptoms and recurrent allergies, potentially linked to changes in environmental exposure, particulate matter and local allergens.Of particular concern, Sharma said, were young patients without known comorbidities who had developed pneumonia and, in some cases, progressed to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). While pollution cannot be considered the sole cause, particulate matter can trigger airway inflammation, impair respiratory defence mechanisms and increase susceptibility to infections, potentially aggravating lung injury, he said.At Yatharth Hospital in Noida’s Sector 110, four such cases were reported on Monday, according to Dr Arunachalam M, senior consultant and head of pulmonology.The impact was also visible in emergency departments around Diwali. Felix Hospital in Sector 137 recorded nearly double its usual emergency patient load on Diwali night, with around 12 patients reporting respiratory complaints and burn injuries between 8 pm and midnight.“On Diwali, the patient load in our emergency department was almost double the usual. We received patients with multiple complaints, including breathlessness, air pollution-related complications and acute asthma attacks. Besides, a few children and adults also reported burn injuries to their hands and faces. Around 12 such patients were brought to the emergency department between 8 pm and midnight,” said Dr DK Gupta, chairman, Felix Hospital.Doctors’ advice for residentsDoctors advised residents to regularly monitor the AQI, wear properly fitted N95 masks when stepping outdoors, and avoid jogging, running and strenuous outdoor exercise during periods of poor air quality.They also recommended using high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifiers in frequently occupied rooms and avoiding indoor pollution sources such as smoking, incense sticks and dhoop.Residents should keep windows closed when outdoor pollution levels are high and ventilate their homes when air quality improves, doctors said. Patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) should continue using their prescribed inhalers and follow their treatment plans.