Weekend’s high dust levels ‘a serious public health issue’

Exceptionally high dust levels should be taken more seriously with public warnings and prohibition of outdoor public events, pulmonologist Haris Armeftis stated on Tuesday.

Speaking in the wake of the weekend’s intense dust levels, Armeftis told CyBC that it is well-known from general research that mortality and severe episodes necessitating inpatient visits to hospitals rise in correlation with days of increased dust.

“The key message that needs to be put out to the public is that the smallest dust particles, which are the ones that manage to arrive from Africa to Cyprus, are the ones that are also the most dangerous as they evade the respiratory system’s filtering capability,” the expert noted.

These micro-particles which on their journey become bonded with known toxins, such as lead, mercury, chromium and arsenic, are able to enter the blood stream and cause systemic inflammation with serious effects for those with chronic respiratory and heart conditions, the expert detailed.

Exact effects on the Cyprus population currently remain anecdotal, but the pulmonologist noted that he, as well as his colleagues, are well aware of the rise in visits during severe episodes, prompting the expert the suggest that the state should prohibit all outdoor events on days when dust is expected beyond a certain level.

“It is a serious public health issue, weather warnings are issued for hailstorms, but the dust is far more dangerous,” the expert argued.

“When you have dust levels at moments approaching close to ten times the recommended limit, it is an unusual situation, an urgent health hazard,” Armeftis said, adding that that level of dust affects the entire population, not only the vulnerable.

Overall dust levels over the weekend reached 800 to 850 μg/m3 the meteorological office announced, with the level considered acceptable standing at 150 μg/m3.