Respiratory diseases spike due to dry weather & pollution

Guwahati: With the advent of winter and an increase in dust particles in the air, doctors said those without masks are vulnerable to respiratory ailments.
While children remain the most vulnerable in the dry weather, the Gauhati Medical College Hospital has recorded about a 10% rise in the treatment of such cases compared to the corresponding period last year. Pediatricians also cautioned that the increasing trend in infection may be an indication of the emergence of a new allergen or viral infection post-Covid.
GMCH medical superintendent Abhijit Sarma, said, “Though people were still using masks till last winter to protect themselves from Covid-19, it also helped in getting rid of respiratory ailments. But this time they are suffering mainly because the mask is hardly in use.”
He said lower and upper respiratory tract infections and cough have been the most common complaints in the last couple of weeks. “It’s all because of the dust. The weather has been very dry and that’s why people are suffering lower and upper respiratory tract infections. Conditions were not like this two years ago because people used to wear masks at that time,” Sarma said, urging the government to encourage the administration to start flu vaccinations. “Children remain mostly vulnerable because they are more exposed and their immunological resistance fluctuates,” he added.
Pediatricians across the state have been dealing with a large number of such cases. “No medicine is working for about three days after they get respiratory allergy or respiratory viral infection. Automatically the patients recover after a few days,” said Guwahati-based pediatrician Sailendra Kumar Das.
While lack of rain has resulted in an increase in dust particles in the air, the Met department has predicted dry weather in the northeast at least for the next four days.