Difficulty: Challenger (Level 2)
Six hospitals in India’s capital saw more than 200,000 cases of severe respiratory illnesses between 2022 and 2024. Air pollution was a major cause of these illnesses.
New Delhi is the capital city of India. About 30 million people live there. It is often ranked among the world’s most polluted capitals.
“Of the total 204,758 acute respiratory illness cases, 30,424 required hospitalisation,” India’s health ministry said.
The six hospitals recorded 67,054 cases of acute respiratory illness in 2022. They had 69,293 cases in 2023. In 2024, they had 68,411 cases.
“Air pollution is one of the triggering factors for respiratory ailments and associated diseases,” the ministry said.
It said air pollution was not the only reason for these cases. Other factors include diet, work environment and income level. Past illnesses, immune system and family history could also play a part.
This data was announced last month as Delhi is facing rising air pollution. In recent years, Delhi’s air quality has turned dangerous at the start of winter.
The UN children’s agency warns that polluted air is harmful to children. It increases their risk of acute respiratory infections (see graphic).
Factories, construction and traffic are major reasons for air pollution in the city.
The situation also worsens because of crop burning in states around Delhi. This increases the amount of major pollutants beyond what is safe. The cold winter air also traps pollutants close to the ground.
