LAHORE, Pakistan — Health officials reported on Tuesday that an alarming 1.8 million individuals in the eastern Punjab province have been impacted by escalating air pollution over the past month. As a measure to safeguard children’s health, schools across the region have been instructed to remain closed for five days.

Punjab, home to approximately 127 million residents, has been grappling with severe smog since last month. Ahsan Riaz, a spokesperson for the health department, noted that “more than 1.8 million individuals sought treatment at hospitals and private clinics in smog-affected areas within the last 30 days, most of whom suffered from respiratory issues and eye irritation.”

Initially, officials estimated that tens of thousands had visited healthcare facilities in recent weeks due to the smog, but Riaz indicated that the true number of those affected is far greater, with hospitals overwhelmed by patients experiencing related ailments.

The province’s decision to close schools comes shortly after the temporary shutdown of educational institutions in 18 districts severely impacted by the smog. Since October, toxic air pollution has enveloped Lahore, Pakistan’s cultural capital, along with 17 other districts within Punjab.

In response to the worsening conditions, the government also implemented a ten-day closure of parks and museums last week. Authorities have requested that residents minimize unnecessary travel, as this unprecedented wave of smog is escalating cases of respiratory illnesses and eye infections.

This update follows a warning from the U.N. children’s agency, which highlighted the danger posed by air pollution to the health of 11 million children in Punjab. Experts have come to describe the smog as establishing itself as a fifth season in recent years.

The Environmental Protection Department in Punjab reported that Multan, a city within the province, was the most polluted area on Tuesday, with air quality index measurements reaching around 700. Levels above 300 are deemed hazardous to health.

Despite the government mandating the use of face masks, compliance has been notably lax among the public. Additionally, officials have indicated that they are exploring potential strategies, including the possibility of inducing artificial rainfall, as a means to alleviate the ongoing pollution crisis.