Wildfire smoke drives surge in respiratory infections in Indonesia

Wildfire smoke drives surge in respiratory infections in Indonesia. The development was reported by Asia News Network.

Wildfire smoke drives surge in respiratory infections: Latest Details

West Kalimantan, one of the provinces with the largest burned areas this year, has seen emergency room visits for respiratory infections soar since July. The local administration has ordered all regional public hospitals (RSUD) and community health centers (Puskesmas) across its 14 regencies and cities to provide 24-hour emergency medical services following the surge.

“Poor air quality has caused a spike in cases of respiratory illness”, said Hary Agung Tjahyadi, director of RSUD Dr. Soedarso in Pontianak, the provincial capital.

Health facilities across West Kalimantan have recorded around 5,000 emergency room visits for respiratory infections each week since July, compared with about 500 a week during the first half of the year.