Kathmandu, Nov. 7 -- As temperatures begin to drop and the post-monsoon dry season sets in, hospitals in the Kathmandu Valley have begun reporting an increase in patients with respiratory illnesses, influenza, coughs and fever.

Doctors warn that respiratory illnesses could rise further after next week's Tihar festival as falling temperatures and increasing air pollution aggravate respiratory problems, while festival gatherings also create opportunities for respiratory viruses to spread.

"Of the total number of patients seeking care in our hospital these days, around 50 percent are those suffering from respiratory illnesses, colds, coughs, and fever," said Dr Raju Pangeni, a consultant pulmonary and critical care physician at Hams Hospit...