New Delhi, Dec. 15 -- Delhi's worsening air quality has triggered a sharp rise in respiratory and cardiac health problems, with doctors warning that the national capital is facing a "silent public health emergency" as the Air Quality Index (AQI) continues to remain in the 'severe' category.

Medical experts have reported a nearly 90 per cent increase in respiratory illness cases among both children and adults visiting outpatient departments (OPDs), directly linked to prolonged exposure to toxic air.

According to Dr Manav Manchanda, Director and Head of Respiratory, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at Asian Hospital, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) penetrates deep into the lungs and enters the bloodstream, significantly increasing the ris...