Yet another study has confirmed that air pollution is taking its toll on people's health - this time on patients with a smoking history.
Public hospitals admitted 75 patients suffering from chronic lung disease on an average winter day, 10 more than the daily average of 65 over a five-year period, due to higher concentrations of pollutants in cold air, according to a study released by the Chinese University yesterday.
The study, conducted by the university's faculty of medicine, is drawn from data collected from 15 major hospitals under the Hospital Authority. Nearly 120,000 admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were recorded between January 2000 and December 2004. Ozone was the biggest factor in people needing to go to hospital.
When the average temperature was below 20 degrees Celsius, the mean daily levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulates were comparatively higher, according to the findings.
One of the researchers, Wong Tze-wai, suggested patients with lung diseases should avoid going out in cold weather when the air pollution level was high and the wind was weak.
'These are the times when pollutants come at high concentration in the air,' he said.
His research partner, Fanny Ko Wai-san, meanwhile, urged the government to immediately take measures to improve air quality in the city.