(Yicai Global) April 14 -- Dust storms in China, as well as seasonal allergies, are driving up sales of air purifiers and related medicines.

Sales of nasal spray, eye drops, and skin medications have risen as the National Meteorological Center maintained its blue sandstorm warning yesterday, predicting that whirlwinds of dust will reach several regions and cities, including Shanghai and Beijing, today. Dust-laden winds will continue affecting northern China next week, it added.

From April 10 to April 11, daily orders of air purifiers on takeout platform Meituan jumped more than four times from a week ago, according to the firm. In Beijing, sales of a certain type of Xiaomi air purifier surged as much as five times.

Zhang Qing, a Xiaomi store manager in Beijing, said to Yicai Global that the retail outlet needs to replenish its stock every day as air purifiers are selling out as soon as new stock comes in. Many people are allergic to pollen and dust in springtime, making it a peak season for air purifiers. This year, sales are expected to double due to the bad weather, Zhang added.

Other online platforms confirm the trend. JD.Com shows that on April 11, the number of sold air purifiers in Beijing and Tianjin almost doubled from a month ago.

Meituan's e-pharmacy arm Meituan Maiyao reveals that users are mostly searching for nasal sprays, eye drops, and skincare items amid the rough weather of this week. Searches for nasal spray soared by 157 percent this week from a week ago, those for skincare jumped by 65 percent, and the corresponding number for eye drops rose by 56 percent.

Most of the searches for nasal spray came from Hefei in Anhui province, while the biggest number of searches for eye drops originated from Hangzhou. Meanwhile, Beijing was the skin medication hotspot.

Meanwhile, online consultations for cough symptoms increased by 65 percent nationwide on April 12 from April 11, per Meituan Maiyao.

Editors: Shi Yi, Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi