"Acute respiratory infection is an airborne disease so COVID-19 prevention measures, such as wearing masks, can be applied," said Harimat Hendarwan, the head of BRIN's Research Center for Preclinical and Clinical Medicine, on Wednesday.
A person can experience ARIs due to exposure to foreign particles, such as viruses and bacteria, that enter the body through the respiratory tract, he added.
Wearing a mask and avoiding crowds can help minimize the entry of these particles into the body, he continued.
Hendarwan said that to prevent respiratory diseases, people must consume nutritious and balanced meals, exercise regularly, avoid dehydration, and observe hygiene.
He pointed out some viruses that cause respiratory diseases, such as rhinovirus, which causes flu; pneumococcus, which causes pneumonia; and adenovirus, which causes bronchitis.
Meanwhile, certain bacteria like streptococcus, haemophilus, and Staphylococcus aureus can also cause respiratory issues.
He also said that the worsening air pollution has resulted in a spike in respiratory infections.
Hence, he called for reducing the sources of pollutants to suppress the increasing cases of respiratory infections.
"The best effort to suppress pollutants is controlling industrial and vehicle emissions. However, if the cause is forest and land fires, then we must focus on controlling fire spots," he said.
According to the Health Ministry's data, at least 100 thousand residents in Jakarta experience respiratory infections every month.
Meanwhile, reports of respiratory infections were recorded in Kalimantan and Sumatra due to forest and land fires.
A pulmonary specialist at the Persahabatan General Hospital, Dr. Agus Dwi Susanto, said that air pollution is one of the risk factors for an increase in pneumonia cases.
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Translator: Ahmad F, Kenzu
Editor: Anton Santoso
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