Hospitals in Pakistani Punjab are overflowing with patients who have fallen ill due to severe air pollution.
In one month, 1.8 million people have needed to seek care due to the smog, according to the authorities.
Most of them suffered from respiratory diseases and burning eyes, says Ahsan Riaz, spokesperson for the health department.
In an attempt to protect the children, all schools in Punjab – a province with 127 million inhabitants – are closed for five days. Last week, it was announced that all parks and museums will be closed for a period of ten days.
Yesterday, UNICEF, the UN children's organization, warned that eleven million children are exposed to great health risks due to the pollution.
