Met issues dengue alert for two weeks

LAHORE:Met officials also issued Dengue Alert in which it stated that dengue may likely to subside in November and next two weeks are still critical.

Based on the current meteorological conditions and anticipated future seasonal outlook and trends of atmospheric variables, it is expected that dengue cases may likely decline in November. However, the next two weeks are still crucial, as the prevailing atmospheric factors are favouring the conducive environment for dengue. All stakeholders are urged to take pre-emptive measures to address the prevailing situation in Pakistan. National health agencies and dengue control centres are advised to stay updated on the latest information from the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) website: http://www.pmd.gov.pk.

Met office issued an advisory about the rising smog levels in Pakistan exacerbated by stable meteorological conditions. The advisory said ‘Smog is the combination of smoke and fog and is developed from November to mid-December. Pakistan can face an alarming increase in smog levels across its major cities, exacerbated by recent stable meteorological conditions.’

It added that combination of industrial pollution, vehicular emissions, and conducive weather patterns may lead to an increase of air pollution, posing threats to public health and the environment in the coming days. Stable weather conditions, particularly during the autumn and winter months, will be contributing to the accumulation of harmful pollutants in the atmosphere.

Met office’s advisory said limited wind movement, lower temperatures, and humidity can prevent pollutants from dispersing and causing thick layers of smog to linger over cities like

Lahore, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Nankana Sahib and Faisalabad.

Talking about the impacts of smog, the Met office’s advisory said the rise in smog levels may trigger increase in respiratory illnesses, asthma cases, and other pollution related health problems.

They warned that vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, and people with pre-existing health conditions, are at heightened risk. They further warned that poor air quality can cause reduced visibility on roads, leading to a surge in traffic accidents. Outdoor activities can also be disrupted.

The provincial capital continued to remain on top of the world’s 10 most polluted cities as the air quality index (AQI) reached 328 here Tuesday. As per the figures of the Environment Protection Department (EPD), the AQI reached a maximum of 328 while the minimum was 208 and the average AQI was 256.

The data collected from IQAir revealed that the city’s AQI was 232, which was very unhealthy and kept the city on top of the world’s top ten most polluted cities. The other cities were Delhi, India (204 AQI), Dakar, Senegal (155 AQI), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (155 AQI), Dhaka, Bangladesh (142 AQI), Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (138 AQI), Hanoi, Vietnam (117 AQI), Jakarta, Indonesia (117 AQI), Kolkata, India (113 AQI) and Bucharest, Romania (106 AQI).