Forest Fire Haze Causes 283,270 Respiratory Illness Cases in Indonesia

Jakarta, MINA – Indonesia’s Ministry of Health has recorded 283,270 acute respiratory infection (ARI) cases linked to forest and land fire haze across seven provinces, raising concerns over the public health impact of worsening air pollution.

The cumulative figures cover the period from August 18 to October 13, 2026, and were presented by the Ministry of Health’s Director of Environmental Health, Then Suyanti, at the Coordinating Ministry for Political and Security Affairs office in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The cases were reported across 63 districts and cities. Of the total, 219,559 cases involved people aged over five, while 63,711 affected children under five.

South Kalimantan recorded the highest number of cases at 74,636, closely followed by South Sumatra with 74,458 cases. West Kalimantan reported 52,201 cases, Riau 31,285, Central Kalimantan 24,101, and East Kalimantan 23,761.

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The Ministry of Health also identified 12 districts and cities with dangerous air quality levels in Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Jambi, South Sumatra, and Riau.

Then Suyanti explained that forest fire haze contains fine particulate matter known as PM2.5, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and toxic organic compounds that can pose risks to human health.

The effects have also been recorded at the local level. The Pekanbaru City Health Office reported 11,707 cases of health problems associated with haze exposure since August 25, 2026.

Acute respiratory infections accounted for 9,816 cases, followed by asthma with 892 cases, skin irritation with 498 cases, and eye irritation with 328 cases. The data was collected from 21 community health centers and 30 hospitals across Pekanbaru.

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In response, the Ministry of Health has issued warning letters to local health offices and healthcare facilities and continues to promote measures to manage the health impacts in affected areas.

Residents living in haze-affected locations have been urged to limit outdoor activities, wear masks, and keep doors and windows closed to reduce the amount of smoke entering their homes.[]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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