Delhi's air quality worst in country, hits 'severe' for first time this season
New Delhi, Nov 13: Delhi recorded the country's worst air quality on Wednesday as it turned 'severe' for the first time this season, with the AQI soaring to 418.
Bihar's Hajipur, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 417, had the the second-worst reading in the country, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.
Of Delhi's 36 monitoring stations, 30 reported air quality in the 'severe' category, the CPCB said.
In comparison, the national capital's 24-hour average AQI -- recorded at 4 pm every day -- stood at 334 on Tuesday.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', 401 and 450 'severe' and above 450 'severe plus'.
According to the CPCB data, the city's AQI was in the 'severe' category for three days in January.
On January 14, the AQI was recorded at 447, followed by 409 each on January 24 and 26.
The CPCB said 'severe' AQI affected healthy people and seriously impacted those with existing medical conditions.
The air quality in the national capital had been in the 'very poor' category since it plunged to the level on October 30.
According to the Centre's Decision Support System for Air Quality Management, vehicular emission was the top contributor to Delhi's pollution, with an estimated share of approximately 13.3 per cent.
The other prominent pollutants were PM2.5 and PM10.
PM2.5 and PM10 refer to fine particulate matter in the air, with the numbers indicating their size in micrometres.
PM2.5 are fine particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less, about the width of a human hair. These are so small that these can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream, posing significant health risks.
PM10 are coarser particles with a diameter of 10 micrometres or less, about the width of 10 human hairs. While not as concerning as PM2.5, these can still irritate the airways and worsen respiratory problems.
Long-term exposure to these particulate matter can increase the risk of heart disease.
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Pakistan reports two more polio cases; Total tally now 52
ISLAMABAD: At least two more cases of poliovirus were reported in Pakistan, taking the number of infections to 52 so far this year, a report said on Friday.
“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of two more wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases in Pakistan," an official statement said.
The fresh infections — a boy and a girl — were reported from the Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the children is underway," the statement read. Dera Ismail Khan, one of the seven polio-endemic districts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has reported five polio cases so far this year.
Of the 52 cases in the country this year, 24 are from Balochistan, 13 from Sindh, 13 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
There is no cure for polio. Only multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five can keep them protected.
