{
  "id": 9265294,
  "title": "More than 170,000 respiratory cases recorded in haze-choked Indonesia",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/more-than-170-000-respiratory-cases-recorded-in-haze-choked-indonesia",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-23T04:20:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC Science",
    "slug": "bbc-science",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq62j13gnyrko?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "More than 175,000 individuals in Indonesia have fallen ill with respiratory issues since August, as reported by the country's health ministry amidst ongoing wildfires. Over 40,000 cases, ranging from minor ailments like coughs and bronchitis to severe conditions such as pneumonia, predominantly affect young children. Smoke from the blazes has engulfed sections of Indonesia, neighboring Malaysia, and Singapore, pushing air quality to hazardous levels. Authorities have deployed more than 54,000 officials and numerous aircraft to Borneo and Sumatra for water bombing, yet the expansive territory and treacherous peatland terrain pose significant challenges in extinguishing the fires. Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya stated that all resources are being mobilized to combat the fires and mitigate their impact on public health. Indonesia's annual dry season typically sees such wildfires from July to October, but this year, the situation has been exacerbated by an intense El Nino phenomenon, resulting in dry conditions that have intensified the problem. The forest monitoring platform Nusantara Atlas reported approximately 734,000 hotspots across the nation as of Wednesday, a 30% increase compared to 2019, one of the country's worst wildfire seasons. Since January, over 895,657 hectares of land—nearly six times the size of Greater London—have been consumed by the fires. The blazes have led to school disruptions and a surge in hospital admissions nationwide. Health ministry figures show that the number of respiratory illness cases linked to the wildfires more than doubled to 113,336 by September 9, up from 50,891 on September 1. The smog's toll extends to wildlife, as an orangutan succumbed after being rescued and treated for hypoxia following exposure to the toxic air in West Kalimantan, one of the provinces most affected by the fires. Indigenous and civil society groups in the region have filed a class action lawsuit against the central government and local authorities, accusing them of negligence in addressing the wildfires. Indonesia has conducted several cloud-seeding operations in recent weeks, including collaborations with Japan's Self-Defense Forces, to attempt to boost rainfall. However, the efficacy of these measures remains debated. Meanwhile, authorities in Sarawak, Malaysia, one of the hardest-hit regions outside Indonesia, initiated a five-day cloud-seeding operation to alleviate water levels at hydropower dams, anticipating a severe dry spell in October.",
  "summary": "More than 40,000 of the cases – which range from mild coughs to pneumonia – involve toddlers.",
  "key_points": [
    "Over 175,000 Indonesians have contracted respiratory illnesses since August due to wildfires.",
    "Smoke from the blazes has caused hazardous air quality in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The surge in respiratory cases and widespread haze underscores the severe health and environmental impact of Indonesia's wildfires, which authorities struggle to control amid challenging terrain and intensifying climate conditions.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "More than 170,000 respiratory cases recorded in haze-choked Indonesia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/more-than-170-000-respiratory-cases-recorded-in-haze-choked-indonesia-9279995",
        "published": "2026-09-23T05:01:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}