MOH Reports Surge in Asthma, URTI Cases As Haze Affects Several Areas

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has recorded a sharp increase in asthma and upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) cases amid haze conditions affecting several areas in the country. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said monitoring between epidemiological week (EW) 32 and 33 showed asthma cases increased by 259 per cent, while URTI cases rose by 124 per cent. He said conjunctivitis cases, however, decreased by seven per cent over the same period.

URTI recorded the highest number at 3,674 cases, an increase from 1,637, while asthma cases reached 219 compared with 61 cases. Conjunctivitis cases, meanwhile, dropped to 146 from 157 cases, he said. He was speaking to reporters after officiating the Wellness Hub Kuala Selangor and the Prosperous Mind Community Outreach Programme (K-Mindset) here today.

Dzulkefly said seven areas recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as of 8 am today, with five in Sarawak, namely Serian (197), Kuching (185), Sri Aman (178), Samarahan (176) and Sarikei (128). The other areas were Sungai Petani, Kedah, and Taiping, Perak, both recording an API reading of 126.