SHAH ALAM, Sept 18 — Haze-related illnesses in Selangor are rising as the air quality worsens, with conjunctivitis cases jumping 81 per cent and asthma reports soaring by 39.6 per cent, said Selangor State Health Department (JKNS) director Dr Ummi Kalthom Shamsudin.
She added that upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) have also increased by 7.3 per cent.
“All data was monitored via five sentinel health clinics, which were Klinik Kesihatan Seksyen 7 Shah Alam, Klinik Kesihatan Kota Damansara, Klinik Kesihatan Pandamaran, Klinik Kesihatan Telok Datok and Klinik Kesihatan Kuala Selangor.
“Shah Alam Hospital is the sentinel hospital for asthma case monitoring,” she told Media Selangor.
She explained that monitoring, previously done on a monthly basis, is now being updated daily as the haze worsens.
Dr Ummi Kalthom advised heart patients, smokers and those with lung problems to take precautions as PM2.5 fine particles won’t just affect respiratory systems, but also enter the bloodstream, which could cause inflammation, atherosclerosis, or high blood pressure and lead to heart attacks or strokes.
She added that the particulate matter can travel to the very ends of alveoli in the lungs and into the bloodstream.
“Never take the haze lightly because its effects aren’t visible to the naked eye. It doesn’t just cause asthma, eye disease and sore throats, but could bring about more serious effects,” she warned.
At 10pm, five Selangor areas had unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings. Johan Setia had the highest in Selangor and Malaysia at 173, followed by Shah Alam (165), Petaling Jaya (158), Klang (154), and Banting (154).
