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View all search resultsWildfire haze sickens more children as respiratory cases hit 400,000
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Volunteers spray water to extinguish a land fire on Nov. 7 at Terantang in Barito Kuala regency, South Kalimantan, following months of forest and land fires. (AFP/Muda Sagala)
M
ore than 400,000 people have suffered from acute respiratory illnesses across numerous haze-hit regions, with children accounting for the largest share, as fire risks persist in parts of Kalimantan and Papua amid a delayed onset of the rainy season.
Toxic haze from forest and peatland fires have resulted in at least 425,167 cases of acute respiratory illness across seven provinces in Kalimantan and Sumatra between Aug. 20 and Nov. 5, according to the Health Ministry. The provinces include Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan and East Kalimantan.
Nearly half of the figure, or 184,018 cases, happened in children aged nine or under, marking an increase of more than 37,000 cases in just two weeks. Haze has also sickened more than 56,000 elderly across these provinces.
The spike in the number of cases came despite a slowdown of fire hot spots in Kalimantan and Sumatra following recent showers in the past two weeks, though intense fire activity persisted in South Papua.
Health Ministry spokesperson Aji Muhawarman said on Sunday that the ministry has not reported respiratory cases in Papua.
According to epidemiologist Dicky Budiman, repeated exposure to wildfire haze could have lasting consequences for children’s respiratory and overall health quality.
Read also: Haze drives surge in respiratory illnesses in Indonesia
