Big spike in hay fever symptoms; New drought record broken in Netherlands

The number of Netherlands residents with such severe hay fever symptoms that they consulted a doctor spiked in the past week, according to health institute Nivel. The institute blames the warm, dry weather. A new drought record was broken in the Netherlands today.

The number of GP visits due to hypersensitivity to pollen more than doubled in a week to nearly 500 consultations per 100,000 residents, Nivel reported. That is much higher than the same time last year when there were about 250 consultations per 100,000 residents.

According to Nivel, the current increase “is associated with a spike in airborne pollen, especially grass pollen, due to the warm and dry weather.”

The dry weather was officially established on Thursday when a new drought record broke. It’s been 34 days since the last time the national weather station in De Bilt got any measurable rain, Weerplaza reported. That breaks the 2007 record of 33 days with no rain. “This record will almost certainly increase in the coming days,” Weerplaza said. The meteorological institute KNMI expects the first significant chance of rain on Monday.

The last time it rained in De Bilt was on 13 May. The previous record stretched between 4 April and 6 May 2007.