By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 31: KUCHING, Aug 31: Cases of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) and conjunctivitis have started to rise in Sarawak as haze continues to affect air quality, according to health surveillance at 15 sentinel health facilities statewide.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government (MPHLG) Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said the surveillance detected a slight increase in URTI cases and a more noticeable rise in conjunctivitis in recent weeks.
From January to late August, the facilities recorded about 694,800 patient visits, including 64,688 URTI cases and 6,156 asthma cases.
“The average number of URTI cases increased from about 1,717 per week earlier in the year to 1,752 per week in recent weeks, while conjunctivitis cases rose from about 17 to 21 per week,” he said in a statement today.
URTI cases also rose significantly in mid-August, particularly in the Southern and Central zones, which recorded about 1,250 and more than 1,000 cases respectively. The Northern Zone recorded a peak of nearly 400 cases.
At Sarawak General Hospital’s Emergency and Trauma Department, asthma attendances also increased on several days in August.
However, Dr Sim said statewide monitoring had not detected a significant sustained surge in asthma cases.
He also assured that Sarawak’s health facilities remained adequately prepared, with sufficient stocks of essential medicines and supplies, including three-ply and N95 masks as well as oxygen cylinders.
The ministry is advising higher-risk groups, including children and infants, older adults, pregnant women, people with existing respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, particularly asthma and chronic respiratory disease, as well as outdoor workers, to take extra precautions when air quality worsens.
The public is also advised to reduce physical exertion and postpone outdoor recreational and sporting activities during periods of poor air quality.
“Those who need to go outdoors should wear a well-fitting mask, preferably an N95 respirator, to provide better filtration against fine particulate matter such as PM2.5.
“They should also remain indoors whenever possible, keep doors and windows closed, stay adequately hydrated and wash their face and hands regularly after spending time outdoors,” he advised.
Those experiencing persistent coughing, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, severe eye irritation or worsening asthma symptoms should seek medical attention promptly.
Dr Sim cautioned that while there was no need for unnecessary alarm, the health risks associated with prolonged exposure to poor air quality should not be underestimated.
“The State government, together with the Sarawak State Health Department (JKNS) and relevant agencies will continue to monitor the situation closely and strengthen our response according to the prevailing air quality and health surveillance findings,” he said.
He also called on the public to rely on official information and health advisories and take appropriate preventive measures whenever air quality deteriorates. — DayakDaily
