City reels from resp issues triggered by cloud cover, fog, temp see-saw in the past few days
Times of India | 6 February 2025
123 Kolkata: The veil of cloud and fog that prevailed over Kolkata for three-four days this week has resulted in an aggravation of respiratory diseases, with hundreds suffering exacerbation of asthma, COPD, and worsening of breathing distress. Temperature fluctuation and suspended particulate matter in the air are responsible for the constricting of airways in these patients, doctors said.
Charnock Hospital has seen a surge in respiratory disease patients over the last three to four days. "Smog and temperature fluctuations trigger constriction and dilatation of the respiratory passage, which leads to breathing issues. Asthma and COPD patients are most vulnerable in this weather. The sudden warmth has also been intermittently causing broncho dilation," said Charnock Hospital pulmonologist Soumya Sengupta.
Desun Hospital has seen a spike in respiratory diseases triggered by viruses. The hospital has observed a notable increase in the number of patients with respiratory conditions, including asthma and COPD, over the past month, with a 20% rise in OPD visits and a 25% increase in admissions related to these ailments. "The recent temperature fluctuations have led to a spike in respiratory viral infections, wh-ich are leading to an aggravation of respiratory conditions," said Mohit Kha-rbanda, senior director, critical care.
In the last three days, BP Poddar Hospital got 87 patients with upper respiratory tract infections, cough, and fever at the OPD and chest clinic. "Almost a third are schoolkids. Seventeen people with severe symptoms are geriatric with pre-existing conditions, like CO-PD or chronic bronchitis. They required hospitalisation," said Supriyo Chakraborty, group advisor.
"While most of the respiratory infections in kids are viral, the elderly population is experiencing a flare-up of underlying conditions due to secondary infections, leading to hospitalisation," said consultant pulmonologist at BP Poddar Hospital Rik Banerjee.
CMRI Hospital has seen no slide in respiratory patients since Nov, and its respiratory ICU is full. "This year, the air quality has been better than the po-st-Covid years, but it has been neutralised by a rise in severe viral and bacterial infections," said CMRI pulmonology director Raja Dhar.
At RN Tagore Hospital, there has been a sharp rise in asthma and COPD exacerbations, especially among the elderly. "Over the past two-three weeks, there has also been a surge in severe pneumonia cases and a rise in influenza and other viral lower respiratory tract infections in younger and adolescent patients," said Sujan Bardhan, consultant, pulmonology.
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