PATTANI, 2 September 2015 – Public health offices in the southern border provinces are urging locals to prepare face masks, as the blanket of haze from wildfires in Indonesia lingers over the Deep South.
In Pattani, the effect of the haze, which originated from wildfires on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island, can readily be observed. In Pattani City, road visibility has been reduced. The haze situation reportedly improved over the weekend, but has again deteriorated. The provincial public health office is urging locals to wear face masks, and suggests that people with respiratory tract illness and the elderly avoid exercising in the open.
In Yala, public health officials said the air quality has not deteriorated to the point that the general public’s health is threatened. However, irritation may be experienced by those with respiratory tract illness and allergy. The use of face mask is, therefore, recommended by the health officials.
