The level of dust in the air around Limassol is double the limit of 55 micrograms per cubic metre at 109 mg3, said the labour ministry.

You can follow the dust and pollution levels on their website.

People with respiratory problems, allergies, and especially children and pensioners should stay indoors until the dust cloud passes. Outdoor workers should take measures to protect their face and mouth, said the ministry.

Symptoms of dust allergies include wheezing, a struggle to breathe easily, burning eyes, and sinus problems. Sufferers should contact their doctor for the right treatment and special care must be taken of children.

The most severe episode of dust blowing in from North Africa was in September 2015, when the sun was blocked out entirely and the levels rose into the thousands of micrograms per cubic metre. Click here to read that story.

Global Warming

Global warming has resulted in more desertification in north Africa and the Middle East, meaning more frequent dust storms over Cyprus. The dust comes mostly from the Sahara and less frequently from the Syrian desert.

What’s most concerning other than the health issues, is the increased number of dust clouds that blanket the island. From two or three per year, it has now risen up to 16 per year, according to a survey by the Health Ministry.

The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology advises those who have a dust allergy to take the following measures:

• Remove wall-to-wall carpeting.
• Keep pets outside the bedroom.
• Minimise humidity and damp wall inside the home.
• Use mite-proof pillows and wash bed linen in hot water.
• Install air filters in furnaces and airconditioning units.

In addition, doctors may prescribe inhalers to open up the airways in the lungs to avoid anaphylactic shock in the more extreme cases.