GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – Varying
concentrations of Saharan dust according to the
Meteorological Department of Sint Maarten is affecting visibility and air quality
during the next few days.
The Saharan dust is a nuisance to all
especially those with respiratory ailments and allergies.
The dust from
the Sahara Desert in Africa causes sneezing, nasal
congestion, respiratory problems, eye itching and other allergy symptoms.
The aforementioned
is common in the Caribbean region around this time of year and
according to weather experts and coincides with the hurricane
season.
Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department
from the Sint Maarten Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour,
as a preventive measure, advises persons who suffer from emphysema, asthma, and
other lung disorders, and are feeling ill, to consult their family physician.
Other measures that can be taken is to keep doors and
windows closed and do not go outside if the Saharan dust is prevalent in the
sky which can be visibly seen from a haze over the horizon.