In the early June 2013, the number of respiratory problems was 351 cases and increased to 393 cases now, Marjoko Santoso, the head of the Dumai health office, said here on Monday.
The increase reached around four to five percent every week and 0.8 to one percent per day, he said.
He urged Dumai residents particularly children, pregnant women, senior citizens and asthma patients, to stay indoor when the city is being covered by haze.
The Dumai health office has distributed 25,000 face masks to people on streets.
Some 138 hot spots from forest fire were detected across Sumatra Island, an increase from 83 hot spots on the previous day.
In Batam, the hot spots from plantation and forest fires produced haze that reduced the visibility to 1,000-1,500 meters, Head of the Hang Nadim meteorological, climatology and geophysics agency (BMKG) Philip Mustamu said here on Monday.
(F001/B003)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
