Hyderabad: Respiratory ailments have witnessed a rise of 20 per cent between October and November in the three metro cities- Hyderabad, Delhi and Mumbai, according to Practo, noted healthcare service provider. With the Union Health Ministry stating that high pollution levels could make people more prone to catching the coronavirus infection, people were increasingly consulting doctors online to ensure that no symptom goes undiagnosed.
Most of the patient queries revolved around breathing issues, dust allergy, asthma, respiratory problems, dry cough, to name a few. A large number of queries came in from people in the age group of 21-30 followed by people aged 60 and above, Practo in a release said. Online consultation witnessed a 20 per cent increase from the previous month in the number of queries for respiratory related health concerns in metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. The top searches in these cities included breathing problems, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and dust allergy treatments, it said.
“Dip in the overall air quality index has been a matter of concern for a few years now. Especially this time when we move from the monsoon to winter, the air we breathe begins to get polluted. Since cold air is more dense, particles remain suspended in it for a long period and remain on the surface,” Dr Rajesh Bhardwaj, ENT specialist with Practo, in the release said.
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