Dhaka’s polluted air makes Covid fight harder

Dhaka, one of the most polluted cities in the world, ranked 3rd worst in the Air Quality Index on Monday morning.

Dhaka had an AQI score of 185 at 09:02am and the air was classified as ‘unhealthy’.

The poor air quality has become a serious cause of concern among its residents as there is a correlation between the severity of Covid-19 infection and long-term exposure to air pollutants.

Air pollution & Corona

Researchers at Harvard University found an increase of only one microgram per cubic metre in PM 2.5--dangerous tiny pollutants in the air -- is associated with an 8% increase in the Covid-19 death rate.

Another study in the Netherlands suggests that a small increase in exposure to pollution raised the death rate by up to 21 percent.

A study by scientists at the University of Cambridge in the UK also found a correlation between the severity of Covid-19 infection and long-term exposure to air pollutants, including nitrogen oxides and ground-level ozone from car exhaust fumes or burning of fossil fuels.

A recent study published in the journal Science of the Total Environment has also shown that long-term exposure to air pollution can be “one of the most important contributors to fatalities caused by the coronavirus. 

When the AQI value is between 151 and 200, everyone may begin to experience health effects while members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.

According to the AQI Index, Pakistan’s Lahore and India’s Delhi occupied the top two spots with a score of 274 and 265 respectively.

The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.