Introduction

Seven areas in Malaysia recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as of 10am on Sunday, August 23, according to the Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS), as reported by The Star.

Areas Affected

In Sarawak, four areas recorded unhealthy readings: Serian with an API reading of 194, Kuching at 183, Sri Aman at 177, and Samarahan at 175. In Selangor, Johan Setia recorded an API of 157; in Kedah, Sungai Petani had an API of 140; and in Perak, Taiping had an API of 121.

National Picture

Nationwide, 61 areas recorded API readings at the moderate level, while no areas recorded good readings. The API data is released hourly based on readings from 68 air quality monitoring stations. Under the API scale, readings from 0 to 50 are considered good, 51 to 100 moderate, 101 to 200 unhealthy, 201 to 300 very unhealthy, and readings above 300 are hazardous. As of 9am, no location had breached the very unhealthy mark.

Health Impact

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad highlighted the public health impact, reporting that asthma cases increased by 259 per cent between epidemiological week (EW) 32 and 33, rising from 61 to 219 cases. Meanwhile, upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) cases rose by 124 per cent, reaching 3,674 from 1,637. The minister also noted that 90 heat-related illness cases had been recorded, including 71 cases of heat exhaustion, 14 heatstroke cases, and five heat cramps, with eight of the heatstroke cases involving participants in the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Selangor.

Cause and Advice

The Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre flagged clusters of hotspots in West and South Kalimantan and in Sumatra, with moderate to dense smoke plumes observed and prevailing winds blowing from the southeast, contributing to the haze. In affected areas, residents are advised to reduce outdoor activities and wear masks when going out. In Kedah, the State Health Department specifically advised the public in Sungai Petani and Alor Setar to limit outdoor activities.