Egypt: Over 43,000 Deaths in Egypt Linked to Pollution in One Year – WHO
Over 43,000 Egyptians died from diseases related to air pollution in 2012, a report issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) said.
The diseases included in the report comprised acute lower respiratory, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, ischemic heart disease (IHD) and lung cancer. According to the report, 22,327 Egyptians died of IHD while 2079 lost their lives to lung cancer.
The WHO said that 92 percent of the world’s population live in places where the air quality levels exceed “WHO’s ambient air quality guidelines.” The report provided information on each country’s exposure to particulate matter of an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres (PM2.5). According to the WHO, particulate matter consists of a complex mixture of solid and liquid particles of organic and inorganic substances suspended in the air. The most health-damaging particles are those with a diameter of 10 micrograms per cubic meter or less, which can penetrate and lodge deep inside the lungs. Both short- and long-term exposure to air pollutants have been associated with health impacts, WHO said. According to the WHO air quality guidelines, levels of PM2.5 should be limited to 10 micrograms per cubic meter. However, Egypt is among countries exposed to 36-69 micrograms per cubic meter, according to the WHO.
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