JAKARTA — Indonesia has recorded around 175,000 cases of acute respiratory infections since August across areas affected by widespread forest and land fires, according to the country’s Health Ministry.A total of 175,000 cases of acute respiratory infection (ARI), locally known as ISPA, were recorded across 63 affected districts in six provinces between Aug. 18 and Sept. 21, ministry spokesman Berton Panjaitan told Anadolu on Wednesday.The total includes 40,363 cases involving children under the age of five, he said.Forest and land fires have been burning for months, with dry conditions since June contributing to their spread across Sumatra and Kalimantan.Indonesia has deployed 64 aircraft and 54,394 personnel to combat the fires since August, state-run ANTARA news agency reported, citing government figures.Japan has also deployed three CH-47 Chinook helicopters and around 180 military personnel, including aircrews and support staff, to assist with water-bombing operations in Kalimantan, according to Indonesia’s Defense Ministry.The Japanese personnel and equipment were transported aboard the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel JS Kunisaki.Japan’s Defense Ministry said Monday that the vessel had also moved off Ketapang in Kalimantan, allowing firefighting operations to be conducted from two locations.The fires have generated widespread haze and deteriorating air quality across parts of Indonesia, with smoke also affecting neighboring Malaysia and Singapore.JAKARTA — Indonesia has recorded around 175,000 cases of acute respiratory infections since August across areas affected by widespread forest and land fires, according to the country’s Health Ministry.A total of 175,000 cases of acute respiratory infection (ARI), locally known as ISPA, were recorded across 63 affected districts in six provinces between Aug. 18 and Sept. 21, ministry spokesman Berton Panjaitan told Anadolu on Wednesday.The total includes 40,363 cases involving children under the age of five, he said.Forest and land fires have been burning for months, with dry conditions since June contributing to their spread across Sumatra and Kalimantan.Indonesia has deployed 64 aircraft and 54,394 personnel to combat the fires since August, state-run ANTARA news agency reported, citing government figures.Japan has also deployed three CH-47 Chinook helicopters and around 180 military personnel, including aircrews and support staff, to assist with water-bombing operations in Kalimantan, according to Indonesia’s Defense Ministry.The Japanese personnel and equipment were transported aboard the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel JS Kunisaki.Japan’s Defense Ministry said Monday that the vessel had also moved off Ketapang in Kalimantan, allowing firefighting operations to be conducted from two locations.The fires have generated widespread haze and deteriorating air quality across parts of Indonesia, with smoke also affecting neighboring Malaysia and Singapore.
Indonesia records 175,000 respiratory infections as wildfires fuel haze
