Over 250,000 individuals are feeling the burn after receiving treatment for eye and nose problems due to air pollution in Thailand’s northern provinces. Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai, director-general of the Department of Health, says the medical issues are due to extreme PM2.5 mud particles within the atmosphere as a end result of native wildfires which have produced heavy smog.
He says that the seasonal smog, that has blanketed areas such as Chiang Mai amongst others, has greatly affected individuals with respiratory ailments, with young youngsters and the elderly being essentially the most weak. Such illnesses like bronchial asthma, eye infections and coronary artery illness have been attributed to the rise in pollution which has seen over 1 / 4 of a million people undergoing medical remedy at hospitals and clinics since the beginning of this 12 months. Key of those affected by respiratory problems fall into the age group between 45-54 years outdated.
Suwanchai says that vulnerable people, who’re susceptible to dust-related ailments, ought to avoid outdoor activities and wear proper medical, or N95 face masks. He says those who are suffering from breathing problems or chest pains ought to see a well being care provider as quickly as attainable.
In Chiang Mai alone, air pollution has also been allegedly liable for over 30,000 people visiting the hospital to undergo remedy for respiratory illnesses. The city, identified for its burning season, that blankets the air with smoke, has lately taken the top spot of having the worst air high quality on the planet. The IQ AirVisual air monitoring website listed Chiang Mai this morning as having the worst air pollution, as it tracks air high quality in real time.
The city’s air high quality has consistently been ranked within the top 3 of the world’s worst cities by means of pollution because the begin of this month, an annual itemizing at this time of the yr. IQ AirVisual even says it has taken the top spot for recent days.
The northern area has 926 hotspots, with Mae Hong Son having the most at 442, adopted by Chiang Mai and Tak. The explanation for the pollution is mainly because of wildfires sprouting up because of open burning across the border in Myanmar forests and regionally around northern farms in Thailand.
SOURCE: Thai PBS World