HAYFEVER sufferers could find the start of spring brings sneezing fits, especially in the south, north-east and centre of Spain.
The pollen count is expected to be high over the next few weeks for banana trees, with Andalucía, Catalunya, Extremadura, Aragón and Madrid being the main affected areas.
About eight million people in Spain suffer from hayfever – to a level which requires treatment, even if only over-the-counter medication – and those whose condition is worsened by high pollen counts has risen in 10 years from 22% to 33%.
Olive trees, cypress and bananas are among those which are most likely to spark allergic reactions, although fortunately for those on the Mediterranean, orange trees seem less of an aggravating factor.
But it's not as bad as it sounds, says the Spanish Allergy Society (SEAIC): last spring was much more intense in terms of pollen levels than that of 2017 is expected to be.
Still, for those living in the cities and provinces of Sevilla, Jaén, Madrid, Barcelona and Zaragoza, this may be cold comfort, as they are already dealing with the effects of very high pollen levels.
Measured in grams per cubic metre of air, the worst count in the whole of Spain is in Madrid, at a whopping 2.32 kilos.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com