Beirut, Lebanon (Enmaeya News) — Lebanon’s shifting climate is causing more than water shortages and extreme weather — it is also fueling a rise in allergy-related illnesses such as sneezing, coughing and asthma attacks.

Rising temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns are extending pollen seasons, increasing airborne dust, and worsening air quality, particularly in the Beqaa Valley, health experts say.

Doctors in rural agricultural areas dense with trees and grasses report more cases of seasonal allergic rhinitis, sinus infections and asthma flare-ups, especially among children and the elderly.

Climate scientists attribute this to warmer temperatures lengthening growing seasons for trees and grasses, which release more pollen. Drier winters and increasing desertification, especially along Lebanon’s eastern border, are also triggering dust storms that carry fine particles deep into the lungs.

The World Health Organization warns climate-driven respiratory illnesses are a growing threat in the Eastern Mediterranean region, with Lebanon among the most affected. Poor urban air quality in cities like Beirut worsens the problem, but rural areas such as the Beqaa face unique risks from windborne dust and limited access to inhalers and allergy medications.

Doctors and public health officials are urging the government to develop a national allergy and asthma response plan, a measure not yet included in Lebanon’s health strategy.