Smog Surge in Punjab Sends 1.93 Million to Hospitals
— November 17, 2024
LAHORE (AIA) Punjab is grappling with a severe smog crisis, with over 1.93 million people seeking hospital treatment for respiratory and related illnesses over the past month, according to the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department.
In the last 30 days, hospitals across the province reported treating 124,660 asthma patients, 62,908 ischemic heart disease cases, 5,953 strokes, and 12,694 conjunctivitis cases. The crisis has intensified over the past week, with 452,567 respiratory cases, 31,707 asthma cases, 13,768 ischemic heart disease cases, 1,695 strokes, and 47,224 conjunctivitis cases recorded.
In the last 24 hours alone, healthcare facilities handled 53,377 respiratory disease cases, 3,509 asthma patients, 883 ischemic heart disease cases, 104 strokes, and 656 conjunctivitis cases.
Lahore remains the most affected city, reporting 132,558 respiratory disease cases, 5,954 asthma cases, 14,869 ischemic heart disease cases, 583 strokes, and 2,395 conjunctivitis cases in the past month. Over the last seven days, the city saw 34,168 respiratory cases, 2,321 asthma cases, 1,835 ischemic heart disease cases, 331 strokes, and 1,602 conjunctivitis cases. In just the last 24 hours, 4,108 respiratory cases, 393 asthma cases, 129 ischemic heart disease cases, 47 strokes, and 293 conjunctivitis cases were treated in Lahore.
The Punjab government has assured citizens that hospitals are fully prepared to handle the surge in smog-related illnesses. Authorities are urging the public to adopt preventive measures, such as limiting outdoor exposure, wearing masks, and staying indoors during peak smog hours.
Health officials continue to monitor the situation, emphasising that reducing vehicular emissions and industrial pollution remains critical to addressing the root cause of the smog crisis.