Health hazards due to worsening haze

More are complaining of respiratory tract infections, conjunctivitis or "red eye" and sore throats in the Klang Valley with the worsening of the haze over the past week.
Kuala Lumpur Hospital consultant pulmonary and critical care physician Datuk Dr Jeyaindran Sinnadurai said dust particles in the air could cause "red eye". He said both coarse and fine particles could irritate the eyes and respiratory tract, causing runny noses, phlegm, coughs and wheezing.
"Air pollution can lead to a runny nose. Throats get dry and itchy and mucus develops. It could end up clogging the respiratory tract, leading to infection," he told the New Straits Times.
The Department of Environment yesterday imposed a total ban on open burning in the Klang Valley, after the Air Pollution Index reached unhealthy levels.
Dr Jeyaindran said those outdoors for a prolonged time should wash their hands and face as soon as they come indoors.
He said a mild aggravation of eye and respiratory symptoms would be seen among susceptible people when the API reached an unhealthy level.
"It is also possible to see the same symptoms in healthy people," he said, adding that those with heart or respiratory ailments should reduce physical exertion.
He advised those in affected areas to stay indoors and increase fluid intake to prevent the drying of their respiratory tracts.
Eye-wash should be applied to irritated eyes, he added.
Dr Jeyaindran said people working outdoors should use protective masks, respirators or other protective equipment. He said the masks sold in most pharmacies would not prevent the haze from getting to the lungs. A mask is effective if it can filter out particles of less than 10 microns.
Asked about asthmatics seeking treatment, he said they were mainly those with undetected or poorly controlled asthma.
The haze contains pollutants including nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide and lead.
Health Director-General Datuk Dr Ismail Merican said carbon monoxide could irritate the throat and nose and aggravate bronchial asthma and acute respiratory illnesses. He said nitrogen dioxide increased susceptibility to infection of the respiratory tract, while sulphur dioxide could aggravate chronic lung disease.
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