Respiratory illness cases up 40% in Malwa due to farm fires

Patiala, November 4

Amid farm fires in the state hitting a new high by the day, more people with acute respiratory illness (ARI) have been going to hospitals in the Malwa region.

Kids and elders are among the worst hit owing to drop in the air quality index (AQI). As per doctors of Government Rajindra Hospital here, there has been around 40 per cent rise in the number of patients with breathing distress.

Dr RPS Sibia, head of Medicine Department, said: “There has been a substantial rise in cases with breathing ailments. We are seeing exacerbations of asthma and bronchitis.”

As per the data by the district environmental task force, cases of acute respiratory illness had doubled post Diwali at Government Rajindra Hospital. In the majority of emergency cases, patients had to be nebulised immediately while some required hospitalisation.

Dr Baljinder Kaur, Head of the Paediatric Department, Government Rajindra Hospital, said: “As of now, around 40 per cent of the OPD cases are reporting breathing problems. Besides, around 8-10 admissions of the total in-patient departments are that of children with breathing issues.”

As per the Central Pollution Control Board, the AQI in major cities of the state was in a poor category while Ludhiana was in ‘very poor’ quality where AQI had gone past 300 on Friday evening.

Dr Sumeet Singh, nodal officer, National Programme for Climate Change and Human Health, said asthmatic and patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease should carry their inhalers with them. The air quality index is poor, therefore, people should stay indoors.”

Meanwhile, Sangrur on Friday, recorded highest stubble-burning cases in the state (471), while the state reported 2,437 cases as farm fires continue unabated. So far, the state has reported 26,583 farm fire cases.