Mumbai smog leaves asthma, COPD patients gasping for clean air

The number of asthma, COPD and bronchiectasis cases have risen since last week, said Dr Nilkanth Awad, head of respiratory medicine at the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, Sion.

People in the city with a history of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been complaining of worsened symptoms owing to spike in pollution levels, said doctors.

The number of asthma, COPD and brochiectasis cases have been on the rise in Mumbai since last week, say doctors. (HT File)

As Mumbai witnessed a haze-laden sky on Saturday, Amit Shah of Parel, who has had asthma since childhood, said, he has been coughing and running short of breath, since the last two days. “I have been feeling this tightness in my chest. My chest specialist asked me to avoid stepping out and take inhalers regularly,” he said.

Dr Prashant Chhajed, consultant pulmonologist at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, said, five elderly asthma patients have been hospitalised in the last few days. They have been put on bronchodilators and steroids which improve airflow, he added.

“The drop in temperature coupled with rise in pollution leads to increased cough and breathlessness,” he said.

The number of asthma, COPD and bronchiectasis cases have risen since last week, said Dr Nilkanth Awad, head of respiratory medicine at the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, Sion. “The cases of viral infections are more common,” he said. He added that people should visit a doctor if symptoms persist more than three days.