Indonesia records 174,694 respiratory infections amid prolonged haze

Indonesia recorded 174,694 cases of acute respiratory infection between August and September 21 in seven provinces affected by forest and land fires, health ministry official Then Suyanti said on Tuesday. The figure, reported at a news conference, was an increase from more than 113,000 cases recorded as of September 9. More than 40,000 of the cases involved toddlers, according to Suyanti.

Fires in Borneo, Sumatra and Papua have produced haze across parts of Indonesia and neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore. The smoke contains PM2.5, fine particulate matter that can pose health risks including respiratory infections, Suyanti said. The health ministry has sent assistance to affected areas, including oxygen concentrators, face masks and oxygen canisters.

Suyanti advised residents to reduce outdoor activity when air quality deteriorates, wear masks and stay hydrated. Indonesia regularly experiences wildfires during the dry season, which generally lasts from July to October. The supplied report said this year’s fires were more intense and coincided with an expected strong El Niño climate pattern.

Experts cited in the report also attributed the severity of the fires to climate change, long-term forest degradation and slash-and-burn land-clearing practices. The fires have continued for weeks as authorities work to control them, while air-quality readings have fallen in affected areas. The figures cover cases recorded in the seven haze-affected provinces and do not represent a nationwide respiratory-health total, according to the information provided.