Amid Covid19 crises, Pollen induced alergy to increase rush in hospitals

Tajamul Mir

Srinagar, April 1(KNB): At a time when authorities are struggling to manage Covid19 crises, the pollen allergy caused by Russian poplars would increase the rush of patients in the hospitals across Kashmir.

People who get infected by the pollen complain of sore throat, cold, cough, and fever which may cause false alarm of Covid-19 and will end up hospitals being occupied with a large number of Covid suspect patients.

In 2015 the High Court in its clear directive had asked the administration across the valley to cut down the Russian poplar trees, but much has not been done in this direction.

A doctor told KNB that the problem will get worse in the coming days as hospitals in the valley will witness a sudden and sharp spike in the number of patients with respiratory diseases caused by the pollen and it will overburden the doctors & healthcare system overall.

This is the right time to cut down all the pollen trees as everyone is locked inside. There would be little or no inconvenience caused by this to the general public.” a senior officer of SMC told KNB.

Being the spring season, most of the tree varieties, including apple trees in the hinterland across Kashmir, are currently in the pollination phase and are also roving a health hazard by inducing seasonal pollen allergies.

Though pollen allergies in temperate regions like Kashmir are a common feature in the spring season but the allergies induced by the pollen from exotic poplar varieties, like the ones imported from Russia, Australia and the US, has turned out to be a perennial health hazard in Srinagar.

“The pollen from the poplar trees, which hover in air in the form of cotton, is proving to be a nuisance. My children have got the pollen allergy and they are constantly sneezing,” said Imtiyaz Ahmad, a resident from the Rawalpora locality. (KNB)