Gerald
09-01-11, 09:21 AM
More than 18,000 people are suffering from illnesses linked to the dust from the attacks on New York's World Trade Center on 11 September 2001.
The figure comes from the US government's monitoring and treatment programme for 9/11 emergency workers, volunteers and local residents.
The most common afflictions are respiratory problems including asthma and sinusitis, but muscular and intestinal conditions are reported as well.
The senior US official managing the health legacy of the attacks warns that early deaths are possible among the survivors.
'Scarred lungs'
Dr John Howard, Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, told BBC News it was "plausible" that people would die of exposure to the dust.
He singled out damage to the lungs - interstitial fibrosis - as one of the most serious effects.
"You lose capacity to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide, and essentially your lung is forming a scar inside so you have less ability to breathe."
Dr Howard said people could die of "many of these conditions that we have seen associated with these exposures".
The dust - which blew though neighbouring streets and settled over Lower Manhattan - contained a dangerous mix of chemicals.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14738140
Note: 1 September 2011 Last updated at 10:54 GMT
The figure comes from the US government's monitoring and treatment programme for 9/11 emergency workers, volunteers and local residents.
The most common afflictions are respiratory problems including asthma and sinusitis, but muscular and intestinal conditions are reported as well.
The senior US official managing the health legacy of the attacks warns that early deaths are possible among the survivors.
'Scarred lungs'
Dr John Howard, Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, told BBC News it was "plausible" that people would die of exposure to the dust.
He singled out damage to the lungs - interstitial fibrosis - as one of the most serious effects.
"You lose capacity to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide, and essentially your lung is forming a scar inside so you have less ability to breathe."
Dr Howard said people could die of "many of these conditions that we have seen associated with these exposures".
The dust - which blew though neighbouring streets and settled over Lower Manhattan - contained a dangerous mix of chemicals.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14738140
Note: 1 September 2011 Last updated at 10:54 GMT