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Midwest receives another mold-count air quality alert for August

Repeated air quality alerts because of very high mold counts have been reported for August in the Midwest, the most recent attributed to heavy rains, hot temperatures and high dew points, according to a news release

“The interior mold exposure for homes that experienced flooding or water seepage will be even more toxic,” Joseph Leija, MD, an allergist who performs the Gottlieb Allergy Count, the official count of the Midwest, said in a news release.

Joseph Leija

The count for Monday, Aug. 25, listed mold as “very high (dangerous air quality alert);” weeds, high; and ragweed, moderate, according to the release. Two other alerts related to mold were released earlier this month.

“Staying indoors in a mold-free environment, running the air conditioner, taking allergist-prescribed medication and keeping an inhaler at the ready will help safeguard health and prevent attacks,” Leija said in the release. “Those with asthma and allergies will likely struggle to breathe normally today and their already sensitive systems will be traumatized due to the high mold levels and the presence of other allergens.”

Leija, who completes American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology certification annually, collects samples at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital near Chicago. He utilizes a pollen-catching machine each morning that records air particles every 2 minutes during a 24-hour period. An algorithm is used to determine the allergy count.