Leave Delhi until late December: Lung specialist's advice
Delhi's air quality has hit a "Very Poor" level (AQI 301-400), and Dr. Gopi Chand Khilnani, a leading lung specialist, is urging anyone with chronic heart or breathing issues who can afford it to temporarily leave the city until late December.
He warns that the current pollution is now causing half of all chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) cases—something that used to be mostly linked to smoking.
Toxic air behind growing number of lung cancer cases in non-smokers
Hospitals are seeing more emergencies, especially for people with existing lung problems—about half have gotten worse just in the past week, with some needing ICU care or oxygen support.
Dr. Khilnani also pointed out that toxic air is behind a growing number of lung cancer cases in non-smokers (now 40% of new diagnoses), and he's even advised his own family not to settle in Delhi-NCR because of these ongoing risks.