Air quality in northern Vietnam reaches unhealthy levels

VN Air, a monitoring app produced by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, showed that three points, including the People’s Committee of Yen Phong district, Yen Phong industrial park in Bac Ninh, and Chi Lang ward of Lang Son province, were at harmful levels for human health. Meanwhile, two other points located in Hung Vuong street of Thai Nguyen and Phu Lang ward of Bac Ninh were both measured at very harmful levels.

The environmental monitoring portal of the municipal People's Committee reported that the air quality index (AQI) taken from two air monitoring stations in Kim Lien ward of Dong Da district and Thanh Cong ward of Ba Dinh district had climbed into the purple level, considered very unhealthy.

Furthermore, monitoring app AirVisual of IQAir, a Swiss air-quality technology and monitoring company, reported that the AQI recorded at several air monitoring stations located in northern provinces were now at red. At this level, normal people’s health could be negatively impacted, while sensitive groups might experience more serious health problems.

In line with this data, the capital was the fourth most-polluted city globally of all 95 cities monitored by AirVisual.

Moreover, independent air quality tracker PAMAir reported that the AQI of several air monitoring stations located throughout Hanoi and neighbouring areas was at purple, a very unhealthy level for local residents.

Environment experts have therefore advised people to refrain from any outdoor activities, close windows, and don facemasks when going outside amid periods of low-quality air, along with the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.