HEALTH

Delhi Reports Over 2 Lakh Acute Respiratory Cases Since 2022 as Toxic Air Worsens Health

New government data reveals that more than 2 lakh cases of acute respiratory illness (ARI) were reported in Delhi between 2022 and 2024. Doctors and health experts are pointing directly to the capital’s deteriorating air quality as a major driver behind the surge.

India’s biggest metro cities — Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai — continue to struggle with toxic air, and the fallout is increasingly visible in emergency rooms across government hospitals.

Government Flags Air Pollution as a Major Trigger

Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, the Ministry of Health identified air pollution as a major “triggering factor” for respiratory illnesses. The data was shared after MP Dr Vikramjit Singh Sahney raised concerns regarding the rising ARI trend.

Health Minister Prataprao Jadhav noted that pollution-related health outcomes depend on a combination of factors, including lifestyle, occupation, immunity, socioeconomic background, and genetic predisposition. He also emphasised that the government is tracking the situation through an expanded surveillance system.

What the New Government Data Shows

The statistics provided to Parliament come from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which monitors pollution-linked illnesses through designated hospitals. The analysis covered six major hospitals in Delhi, recording 33,213 patients, representing 12.6% of all emergency visits.

To help hospitals prepare, the Health Ministry said it regularly issues health advisories and shares AQI alerts to anticipate spikes in patient inflow.

Officials warn that poor air quality is especially dangerous for people with asthma, COPD, heart disease, or weakened immunity, often worsening symptoms dramatically on high-smog days.

Delhi’s ARI Burden: Year-by-Year Breakdown

Despite a slight dip in total ARI cases in 2024, hospital admissions reached their highest level yet, signalling increased severity.

Delhi hospital figures

2022: 67,054 ARI cases | 9,878 admissions
2023: 69,293 ARI cases | 9,727 admissions
2024: 68,411 ARI cases | 10,819 admissions (highest)

Doctors say the falling case count doesn’t offer comfort — more patients are falling seriously ill and requiring hospitalisation.

Other Metro Cities Show Similar Trends

Delhi is not alone. Data from Mumbai and Chennai indicate a worrying rise in respiratory illnesses linked to worsening air quality.

Chennai

2023: 1,647 ARI cases | 563 admissions
2024: 1,502 ARI cases | 324 admissions

Mumbai

2023: 921 ARI cases | 31 admissions
2024: 1,969 ARI cases | 474 admissions
A more than fivefold increase in hospital admissions highlights how smog and construction dust are impacting health.

What Are Acute Respiratory Illnesses?

Speaking to IndiaToday.in, Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, Senior Consultant (Internal Medicine) at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, explained that ARI includes a wide range of infections and conditions like:

Influenza
RSV
Adenovirus infections
Pneumonia
Bronchiolitis
Asthma flare-ups
COPD exacerbations

He noted that the severity of these conditions has risen sharply in the past two years.

“This is not just seasonal flu. Pollution is fundamentally altering respiratory health on a population level,” he warned.

Prolonged exposure to PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide, and industrial pollutants is weakening lung function in both children and adults, making them more vulnerable to severe infections and inflammation.

Doctors Warn the Crisis Will Intensify Without Cleaner Air

The health–pollution connection is becoming increasingly evident. While some studies stop short of proving direct causation, the growing correlation is strong enough to spark urgent concern among medical experts.

Hospitals continue to witness a steady rise in patients arriving with cough, wheezing, fever, and drops in oxygen levels on high-smog days.

Dr Chatterjee cautions that unless air quality improves significantly, the upward trajectory of severe respiratory illness “will only continue to climb.”