The Washington Post reports Delhi is battling both toxic air and a record surge in coronavirus cases. Doctors and scientists say the combination will have deadly consequences, as exposure to pollution increases the risk of severe respiratory illnesses. Air pollution also makes people more prone to infections, they say.
India has recorded more than 8.7 million coronavirus cases, second only to the United States. While fresh cases nationwide have fallen sharply since September, Delhi is an exception to the trend.
The virus is on the march in much of the world. In India, it’s in retreat.
The city is adding more than 7,000 cases a day, and that figure is expected to rise. More than 100 covid-19 deaths were reported in Delhi on Thursday, a record. Meanwhile, the number of open hospital beds equipped with ventilators is dwindling.
The fresh wave of cases comes as Delhiites have thronged markets and malls during India’s festival season. This past weekend marked the advent of Diwali, a major Hindu holiday, and public heath experts fear that celebratory gatherings could spread the virus.
Delhi just experienced five straight days of “hazardous” air quality, according to standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Air pollution leads to “greater vulnerability and less resilience to covid-19,” Thomas Münzel, a cardiologist and co-author of the paper, said in a statement.
The bad air is also a challenge for those recovering from coronavirus infections. Ajeet Jain, a doctor at Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital, a major covid treatment center, said the percentage of patients reporting post-infection respiratory problems has risen together with the pollution.