Respiratory problems climb past 170,000 cases in haze-hit Indonesia

JAKARTA, Sept 22 — Over 170,000 respiratory cases were reported in haze-affected regions of Indonesia, according to a health ministry official. The country struggles to control numerous fires that have produced toxic smog, which has blanketed parts of the archipelago, as well as neighboring Malaysia and Singapore, causing air quality to plummet.

The smog consists of pollutants such as PM 2.5, fine particulate matter that can lead to health risks including respiratory infections. Health ministry official Then Suyanti reported 174,694 acute respiratory infection cases between August and September 21 in regions impacted by forest and land fires. More than 40,000 of the cases affected infants.

The total rose from over 113,000 cases as of September 9. The health ministry provided aid, including oxygen concentrators, masks, and canisters, to affected areas. The ministry advises the public to reduce outdoor activities, wear masks, and stay hydrated when air quality worsens. Indonesia typically faces wildfires during the dry season, which lasts from July to October.

However, this year's blazes are more severe, coinciding with the expected strongest El Nino climate phenomenon in four decades. Experts attribute the intense fires to climate change, decades of forest degradation, and slash-and-burn land-clearing practices that have altered the naturally fire-resistant landscape.