Hong Kong has warned that the air quality in certain parts of the city will reach a “serious” risk level – the most severe category – on Monday. The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said in a statement on Monday afternoon that it had recorded “higher-than-normal air pollution levels in some areas since last Thursday afternoon.” As of 4 pm on Monday, the government’s Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) was showing “very high” to serious levels of pollutants, with the air quality in Central and Western District reaching the highest category of serious.
When a very high AQHI is recorded, children, seniors and people with heart or respiratory conditions are advised to reduce their physical exertion and keep outdoor activities to a minimum, or avoid them altogether. The general public are advised to avoid staying outdoors, especially in areas with heavy traffic. When air quality reaches a serious risk level, employers of all outdoor workers “are advised to assess the risk of outdoor work and take appropriate preventive measures to protect the health of their employees,” according to the EPD.
The PM2.5 concentration on Monday afternoon was 7.2 times the World Health Organisation annual air quality guideline value, according to Swiss air quality platform IQAir.
PM2.5 refers to inhalable particulate matter that is more likely to end up in the deeper parts of the lung, leading to adverse health effects. Super Typhoon Krathon came within 800 kilometres of the.