1,742 ARI cases across 17 sites in the state

A total of 1,742 cases of acute respiratory infections were reported across five sentinel surveillance sites, which monitor health issues related to air pollution in the state, in the past two months, as per data provided by the Health Department.

- SWAPNIL MISHRA

However, the 17 sentinel sites set up by the state government saw 1,924 ARI cases, the data said.

Health officials attributed the figures to the extremely poor air quality across Maharashtra.

In the first eight months of the year, 10,108 ARI cases were reported across the 17 sentinel sites, necessitating hospitalisa4,681 tions, the figures showed. Mumbai reported the maximum number of ARI patients, with 719 cases between October and November, followed by Thane (396), Pune (282), Akola (210) and Kolhapur (135).