Allergy season: Hundreds stream into hospitals as pollen count soars

Fifth-highest ever concentration of pollen recorded in the capital

ISLAMABAD: As pollen concentrations in the capital rose to its fifth highest-ever level, hundreds of allergy patients visited the main emergency units of hospitals and a special pollen allergy centre in the capital.

According to data released by the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on Tuesday, more than 8,000 pollen patients have visited the hospital since the start of the allergy season.

On Monday alone, as many as 510 adult patients were treated in the main emergency unit of Pims while 350 children were treated in children’s emergency.



The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said that the pollen count on Tuesday rose to 43,330 pollen per cubic metre of air. The chief contributor was paper mulberry, which recorded its highest concentration in Sector H-8. The second highest concentration of pollen was recorded in Sector E-8 where concentrations of 17,809 were recorded. Sector G-6 recorded a slightly milder concentration of 14,175 and Sector F-10 of 6,914.

This was the highest concentration of pollen recorded in the capital in the past eight years, coming in higher than the concentrations of 42,690 per m3 recorded on March 16, 2010.

The highest ever recorded concentration of pollen in the capital was 48,080 per m3 on March 26, 2008.

The second highest concentration recorded was 44,828 per m3 on March 14, 2008. It was preceded by a reading of 44,808 on March 10, 2006.

The fourth highest ever recorded reading was of 43,780 on March 17, 2009.



Free camp

Meanwhile, the district administration of the federal capital has set up a 10-day pollen allergy camp on Tuesday to serve the patients in wake of high-risk pollen season.

According to District Health Officer Dr Najeeb Durrani, the camp was established to facilitate the pollen allergy patients of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

He said that separate sections have been set up for male and female patients.

He said that the medical teams will remain available for treatment of pollen allergy patients at the camp which was established at the community centre.

Besides medical practitioners, a team of homoeopathic doctors and experts of traditional medical care was also present in the camp where free tests were being provided to incoming patients.

He said that the patients were being provided free consultancy, treatment and nebulization services. Free medicines were also being provided to patients.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP

Published in The Express Tribune, March 21^st, 2018.