“The dense haze was caused by cold weather conditions and high humidity. Coupled with bursting of firecrackers on Diwali, a hazy atmosphere prevailed,” scientists at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology said.
When contacted, Dr Parag Khatavkar, consultant pulmonologist with KEM hospital, said the number of patients with upper respiratory tract infections has spiked. “Also, chronic poor air quality has exacerbated symptoms of patients with chronic respiratory ailments like asthma and COPD,” he added.