Over 270,000 respiratory infections registered in Indonesia due to fires

The Ministry of Health of Indonesia recorded 277,075 cases of acute respiratory infections caused by forest fires. It's from sb.by.

As TASS notes with reference to the Antara agency, the representative of the Ministry of Health Aji Muhavarman noted that the smoke from the fires contains harmful substances that “can cause respiratory diseases, cough and shortness of breath, and also aggravate asthma.” Children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with chronic lung disease are most vulnerable to the effects of smog, he said. The population is recommended to go out with special respirators to filter dangerous to human health particles.

A total of 2,106 health workers are reported to have been additionally involved in helping victims of acute respiratory infections. More than 2.8 million protective masks were also distributed from government reserves.

Indonesia has been battling fires in parts of the country for weeks. Smog from the fires has reached Malaysia and Singapore, leading to record levels of air pollution. In August 2026, Indonesian authorities temporarily closed nine national parks amid a high risk of wildfires. Bali schools switch to distance learning due to fuel crisis

In Bali, the woman lost consciousness after several hours of waiting in line for gasoline at the gas station