Newswise — For the second day in a row, the Midwest is under an air quality alert for dangerous levels of mold. The Midwest mold count today is 65,000 – well over the 50,000 threshold that signals a dangerous air quality warning. “Yesterday the mold count was 125,000 - almost triple the threshold alert and while today the count is lower, it is still dangerously high,” said Dr. Joseph Leija, allergist, who performs the Gottlieb Allergy Count, the official allergy count for the Midwest. “Headaches, congestion and fatigue will be common for Midwesterners with sensitive respiratory systems.”
The official Gottlieb Allergy Count today is: Mold Very High, Weeds Moderate and Ragweed Low. “Today I also recorded ragweed, which is the most common allergen and also the most irritating,” says Dr. Leija. “The dangerously high mold count coupled with ragweed is a real double-whammy to breathing health.”
Dr. Leija credits the unusual allergy count to the continuous heat, the high humidity and the brief but intense weekend rain. “I knew the mold count would be high but I was stunned by yesterday’s historically high count and I am surprised that it continues to be very high today,” Dr. Leija says.
Tips to safeguard health from Dr. Leija include rinsing nasal passages with saline solution to remove trapped particles, washing your hair before sleeping at night and staying indoors in air conditioning.
Dr. Joseph Leija, allergist at Loyola’s Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, is solely certified by the National Allergy Bureau to perform the daily official allergy count for the Midwest. Dr. Leija has performed the Gottlieb Allergy Count for more than 15 years.
The Gottlieb Allergy Count is available free to the public, in English, Polish and Spanish, through Twitter; at www.GottliebHospital.org and at 1-866-4-POLLEN (476-5536).
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