Alerts issued as more than 200,000 people in these US states told to stay indoors amid heightened risks
US states issue air quality alert
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Three US states Michigan, Minnesota and South Carolina have asked people to stay indoors as air quality alerts were in effect across them on Monday morning, reports NewsWeek. Health officials said that vulnerable populations—such as children, older adults and individuals with existing respiratory issues—face heightened risks during periods of poor air quality.Particulate matter from wildfire smoke can worsen asthma, trigger heart problems, and lower lung function in developing children, reports said. In Michigan and Minnesota, smoke from Canadian wildfires remains a major cause of concern. The National Weather Service (NWS) said smoke from fires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan is spreading south due to a cold front.Michigan counties affected included Mackinac, Chippewa, Menominee, Keweenaw, Dickinson, Iron, Marquette, Baraga, Schoolcraft, Houghton, Delta, Ontonagon, Gogebic, Luce and Alger, NewsWeek report said."It is recommended that, when possible, you avoid strenuous outdoor activities, especially those with heart disease and respiratory diseases such as asthma," read the alert.The entirety of Minnesota was also under air quality alert. People are being advised to avoid outdoor activity, especially strenuous exercise, stay indoors with windows closed, use air purifiers if available and avoid outdoor burning and other pollution-causing activities."A cold front will continue to drag smoke from large wildfires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan southward into Minnesota. This will be a long duration event with multiple rounds of smoke expected," read the air quality alert for Minnesota.Meanwhile, an air quality alert had been issued for Catawba and Upstate regions of South Carolina. The alert said that weather conditions were expected to cause high ozone pollution levels."This has been further compounded by higher than projected ozone readings from over the weekend and an influence from interactions with the Canadian wildfire smoke that has poured across the Plains and Southeast," it added.Professor of pediatric respiratory and environmental medicine Jonathan Grigg, with Queen Mary University of London, previously told Newsweek: "There are vulnerable groups and classically they are children because they've got an extra issue to do with their lungs developing, whereas our lungs are not developing as adults."Their trajectory can be deviated so they don't actually achieve their maximum lung function."There are also "very clear links" between inhaling particles and earlier death from both respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, Grigg said.Additionally, Grigg said conditions such as asthma are also exacerbated by exposure to air pollution.In May, when Florida's air turned toxic, more than 50,000 residents were warned to hunker down indoors as dangerous pollution levels soared.They warned it could cause coughing, breathing problems and exacerbate any chronic heart or lung conditions in sensitive groups, with older adults at risk because their bodies are less able to compensate for environmental hazards. According to the EPA, the orange AQI level (101–150) marks the point at which outdoor air becomes a threat to anyone with asthma, heart conditions, or other respiratory illnesses. Symptoms like coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and even chest pain can appear or intensify - and for some, may require emergency medical intervention.
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