KUCHING, Aug 30 — Serian recorded a hazardous Air Pollutant Index (API) reading as of 8am today.
According to the Environment Department's (DOE) Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS) portal, the API reading at the Serian District Police Headquarters monitoring station stood at 364.
Meanwhile, three areas in Sarawak recorded very unhealthy API readings: Samarahan (300), Kuching (291), and Sri Aman (214).
Areas recording unhealthy API readings include Sarikei (195), Sibu (187), Bintulu (179), Samalaju (171), Mukah (170), Kapit (159), Miri (155), and the Miri Industrial Training Institute (ILP) (151).
An API reading of zero to 50 indicates good air quality; 51 to 100 (moderate); 101 to 200 (unhealthy); 201 to 300 (very unhealthy); and above 300 (hazardous).
API figures are updated hourly based on readings from 68 monitoring stations nationwide.
Meanwhile, five areas in the peninsula, namely Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and Perak, recorded unhealthy API readings as of 9am today.
APIMS reported that Batu Muda in Kuala Lumpur and Johan Setia in Selangor recorded API readings of 153 each, followed by Tanjung Malim (121) and Taiping (113) in Perak, and Cheras, Kuala Lumpur (105).
Yesterday, Bernama reported that asthma cases surged amid worsening air quality from haze affecting several areas nationwide, with 1,811 cases recorded in Epidemiological Week 34 (August 23 to August 29), up from 219 the previous week.
The Health Ministry (MOH) said the figures were based on surveillance data from sentinel facilities.
Conjunctivitis cases also rose to 720 from 146 in EW 33, while upper respiratory tract infection cases fell by 50 per cent to 1,857 from 3,674.
It said that no deaths linked to complications arising from the haze had been reported.
Following the rise in respiratory-related illnesses, the MOH advised the public, particularly high-risk groups such as children, senior citizens and those with chronic lung conditions, to limit outdoor physical activities and wear suitable masks, such as N95 masks, when outdoors.
