Wildfires cause respiratory infections to double in Indonesia
Fires have been blazing across vast stretches of forest and peatland throughout the country, causing hazardous emissions to surge, particularly in the hardest-hit provinces on the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan.
Gruesome respiratory infections have skyrocketed in Indonesia following a series of devastating wildfires that have ravaged large swathes of forest and peatland on the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan. Health ministry data reveals a staggering doubling of cases in just a week, as smoke from the blazes has triggered hazardous emissions nationwide.
This year's wildfire season is the most severe in 11 years, with the added impact of a "super-El Niño" weather phenomenon driving temperatures higher and exacerbating drought conditions. Fires now emit a third of the world's pollution, according to health officials.
As of September 9, 113,336 people have been diagnosed with wildfire-related respiratory illnesses, up from 50,891 just nine days prior, reported health ministry spokesperson Widyawati during a press conference. Over 12.5 million individuals have been exposed to the haze across seven provinces.
In response to the crisis, more than a million masks and hundreds of oxygen concentrator units have been distributed to aid residents in coping with the pollution. Thousands of medical personnel have been dispatched to affected regions to provide necessary care.
Health authorities are continuously monitoring the situation and deploying additional medical workers and supplies to areas in greatest need. The Jakarta Post encourages readers to share their experiences, suggestions, and any challenges faced in the comments section, expressing gratitude for the public feedback.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
