The infection that worsened actor Joy Banerjee's health

West Bengal politician and actor Joy Banerjee passed away at the age of 62 after battling a respiratory illness and diabetes. The actor, who was hospitalised on August 15, was apparently discharged briefly. However, he was placed again on a ventilator on August 17. He was reportedly diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD, which is a progressive disease that causes breathing issues. It's an ailment that also damages the lungs' defence mechanism, making it hard to clear mucus and leading to a rapid onset of pneumonia and infections. While the disease takes time to build up, there are no reports yet on whether Joy Banerjee knew of the infection before. 

Symptoms of COPD
Unfortunately, COPD symptoms won't surface until considerable lung damage occurs, according to the Mayo Clinic. Here are some of the symptoms:
1) Persistent lung infections
2) Tightness or heaviness in chest
3) Difficulty catching breath, especially when active
4) Whistling sounds or wheezing while breathing
5) Swelling in legs, feet or ankles

6) Unexplained weight loss
7) Fatigue
8) Persistent cough with clear, yellow, greenish or white mucus

Leading causes
According to the American Lung Association, though smoking is often quoted as a leading cause of COPD, one in four people who suffer from the disease never smoked. However, occupational exposures to pollutants, living in polluted air conditions, exposure to secondhand smoke, a history of asthma, underdeveloped lungs or even constant exposure to a wood-burning stove can trigger COPD.

Staying up to date with vaccinations for respiratory ailments and pneumonia, and wearing a mask in hazardous conditions, can reduce your risk of contracting the disease to a certain extent. If you feel you have any symptoms of the disease, do not delay medical care. 
Joy Banerjee's death has deeply impacted his fans, resulting in over 50K search volume on Google Trends in the past 24 hours.