Delhi Hospitals Record Over 200,000 Respiratory Cases Amid Toxic Air Concerns

Delhi Hospitals Record Over 200,000 Respiratory Cases Amid Toxic Air Concerns
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More than 200,000 cases of acute respiratory illness were treated at six government hospitals in Delhi between 2022 and 2024, as pollution levels in the Indian capital continued to rise, the BBC reported. According to data presented in parliament, over 30,000 of those affected required hospital admission due to the severity of their conditions.

Delhi and its surrounding regions experience hazardous air quality every winter, with pollutants accumulating due to a combination of industrial emissions, dense traffic, stagnant winds, cooler temperatures and seasonal burning of crop residue in neighboring states. In recent weeks, the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has exceeded levels considered safe by the World Health Organization, at times surpassing 20 times the recommended limit.

Government data showed 67,054 respiratory cases in 2022, increasing to 69,293 in 2023, before slightly dropping to 68,411 in 2024. Officials noted that higher pollution levels appeared to correlate with increased emergency room visits, though they cautioned that the current analysis does not confirm direct causation.

Delhi has repeatedly crossed the “severe” threshold of 400 AQI over the past decade, posing risks even to healthy residents and significantly threatening people with pre-existing lung or heart conditions. On Wednesday morning, average AQI readings hovered around 380, according to the government-backed Safar platform.

Hospitals across the capital and nearby areas have recently reported a surge in children suffering from breathing difficulties linked to the toxic air. The Delhi High Court is scheduled to review a petition calling for urgent intervention to curb pollution, while India’s Supreme Court has also continued to express concern over air quality challenges in the region.