Delhi’s toxic winter smog has driven more than 200,000 cases of acute respiratory illnesses (ARI) to emergency rooms in six major state-run hospitals between 2022 and 2024, the federal government revealed Tuesday.
Of those, 30,000+ patients required hospitalisation – a 15% admission rate highlighting the crisis’s severity.
The numbers by year
- 2022: 67,054 emergency cases, 9,878 admitted
- 2023: 69,293 emergency cases, 9,727 admitted
- 2024: 68,411 emergency cases, 10,819 admitted
Admissions rose despite a slight dip in total visits last year, suggesting cases are getting more serious.
Toxic air: AQI 20x WHO limit
Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has lingered in the “very poor” to “severe” range for weeks, often exceeding 400 – more than 20 times the World Health Organization’s safe limit of 20 for PM2.5 particulates that lodge deep in lungs.
Wednesday morning’s average AQI hit 380, with hotspots like Anand Vihar at 414. Winter’s cold traps emissions from vehicles, factories, construction and stubble burning in neighbouring states.
The Health Ministry calls pollution a “triggering factor” for respiratory diseases but notes other influences like diet, jobs and pre-existing conditions. An ICMR study across five cities links pollution spikes to higher ER visits.
Why vulnerable groups suffer most
Children, the elderly and those with heart disease or diabetes face the worst risks. PM2.5 constricts blood vessels, spikes blood pressure and strains the heart. One day’s exposure equals 20–25 cigarettes.
The National Centre for Disease Control monitors via 230+ sentinel sites in 30 states, including six in Delhi. A 2025 advisory urges states to train staff, stock drugs and alert publics when AQI turns “poor” or worse.
Court demands action
Delhi High Court hears a petition Wednesday for urgent anti-pollution measures. India’s Supreme Court has repeatedly flagged the capital’s air as a public health emergency.
UNICEF warns polluted air heightens children’s infection risks. A Lancet study estimates 3.8 million Indian deaths from 2009–2019 tied to air pollution.
Source: BBC
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