Chicago's mold count increases to 49,789, says allergist

Chicago's mold count is 49,789 - just a few spores away from the 50,000 threshold that signals a dangerous air quality warning. Today's mold count is the highest of the season, and the highest in five years. "Headaches, sinus congestion, runny noses and fatigue will be common among Chicagoans," says Dr Joseph Leija, allergist at Loyola's Gottlieb Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Leija is solely certified by the National Allergy Bureau to perform the daily official allergy count for the Midwest. "The rain, the hot weather, the barometric pressure change, the humidity - all these elements combine to create the dangerously high mold count," he said of his unusual morning count. "Allergy sufferers should stay indoors, keep the windows closed and use their air conditioners, and take their allergy medications."

Dr Leija warns that the allergy count is for the outside air alone. "Given the flooding of homes and businesses, the indoor air quality may be even worse for many Chicagoans," he warns.