“Santiago was placed under its eighth “environmental alert” this year on Sunday, a menacing sign that pollution in the Metropolitan Region will be worse than ever in the coming autumn and winter months.”
…
“The situation this year is complicated because it is certain that small particulate matter, what we call PM 2.5 and which is not currently monitored, penetrates respiratory tracts and leads to more cardiopulmonary sickness,” said Dr. Juan Luis Castro, the head of Colegio Medico, Chile’s physicians’ association. “This means more of everything, from allergies to pneumonia.” He added that, as in previous years, young children and the elderly will be the most impacted.”
(The Santiago Times: CONTAMINATION IN CHILE’S CAPITAL CITY OF SANTIAGO GROWS WORSE)
