India's doctors blame air pollution for sharp rise in respiratory diseases

Cases are up 30% since 2010 in country where decline in air quality is shifting from acute to chronic in more than just Delhi

A sharp rise in cases of chest and throat disease in India is being blamed by doctors on worsening air pollution in the country, which is now home to 13 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world.

According to India's National Health Profile 2015, there were almost 3.5m reported cases of acute respiratory infection (ARI) last year, a 140,000 increase on the previous year and a 30% increase since 2010.