Exploring Meteorological Conditions and Human Health Impacts during Two Dust Storm Events in Northern Cape Province, South Africa: Findings and Lessons Learnt

Dust storms are meteorological hazards associated with several adverse health impacts including eye irritations, respiratory and cardiovascular disorders, vehicular road accidents due to poor visibility. This study investigated relations between admissions from a large, public hospital that serves people living in Northern Cape Free State provinces, South Africa during 2011 2017, variables (temperature air quality) two dust storms, one October 2014 (spring) the second January 2016 (summer), identified media as no repository of such events exists for Africa. Distributed nonlinear lag analysis wavelet transform were applied explore relationships diseases, irritation, motor vehicle accidents; maximum temperature, quality ‘proxy measures,’ aerosol optical depth Ångström exponent, used ground-based data unavailable. Eye irritation was most common dust-related admission after both storm events. No statistically significant changes interest occurred at time events, using either statistical methods. Several lessons learnt. For this type study, local wind required; alternative methods should be considered; central would help analyze more than Future studies needed develop baseline comparison future their on human health.