Continental Portugal is being affected by an air mass laden with dust from the deserts of North Africa. The arrival of the dust was predicted for September 3rd, and the phenomenon is expected to persist in the coming days and cause a deterioration in air quality, with particular impact on the Centro and Sul regions. During this period, an increase in concentrations of inhalable particles of natural origin is expected, namely PM10 particles.
The Directorate-General for Health recommends that the population avoid prolonged exertion, limit outdoor physical activity, and reduce exposure to risk factors such as tobacco smoke. For the most vulnerable groups, such as children, the elderly, chronic respiratory patients, and cardiovascular patients, the recommendation is reinforced, and they should remain indoors, preferably with windows closed.
Chronic patients should continue their usual medical treatments. If symptoms worsen, the DGS advises contacting the Saúde 24 Hotline on 808 24 24 24, or seeking medical assistance.
The population can monitor the evolution of air quality through information provided by the Portuguese Environment Agency and the QualAr App, where values recorded by monitoring stations are available.
