📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, MISR Team
Health
Doctors link rising coughs in Delhi and Mumbai to pollution and flu
✍️ Livemint
🗓 05 Nov 2026, 05:02 PM
👁 8
Medical experts say the surge in coughing across Delhi and Mumbai is driven by poor air quality and seasonal flu, urging residents to take preventive measures.
Doctors in both Delhi and Mumbai have observed an uptick in patients reporting persistent coughs. They attribute the trend to a combination of deteriorating air quality during the winter months and the onset of seasonal influenza, which often co‑exists with respiratory irritants.
Air quality indices in the capital and the financial hub have regularly crossed the hazardous mark, exposing residents to fine particulate matter that irritates the throat and lungs. Simultaneously, the flu virus circulates more widely as temperatures drop, compounding respiratory discomfort.
Health professionals advise the public to limit outdoor exposure during peak pollution hours, wear masks that filter fine particles, and stay up to date with flu vaccinations. They also recommend staying hydrated, using humidifiers indoors, and seeking medical attention if coughing persists beyond a few days.
Air quality indices in the capital and the financial hub have regularly crossed the hazardous mark, exposing residents to fine particulate matter that irritates the throat and lungs. Simultaneously, the flu virus circulates more widely as temperatures drop, compounding respiratory discomfort.
Health professionals advise the public to limit outdoor exposure during peak pollution hours, wear masks that filter fine particles, and stay up to date with flu vaccinations. They also recommend staying hydrated, using humidifiers indoors, and seeking medical attention if coughing persists beyond a few days.