Kash Cheong Straits Times 25 jun 13;
DOCTORS in polyclinics are seeing more patients for haze-related ailments.
Polyclinics in Singapore attended to 3,853 such cases last week, an increase of 16.5 per cent from the 3,307 cases the week before.
SingHealth Polyclinics also told The Straits Times it saw 890 visits for asthma last week, up from 620 the previous week.
The number of conjuctivitis cases surged from 200 to 280 at SingHealth in the same period, while visits for other ailments like upper respiratory tract infection and bronchitis have also increased.
Said administrative assistant Rohana Mohamed Yusof, 35, who visited a polyclinic last week: "My cough usually goes away in two or three days with medicine, but it persisted due to the haze."
Dr Lyn James, director of the Health Ministry's epidemiology and disease control division, said polyclinics have been able to manage the spike in cases.
For now, emergency departments in public hospitals are seeing only a marginal increase in haze-related cases - from 555 cases two weeks ago to 559 last week.
The ministry said there are now over 400 private clinics that have signed up for the government scheme which offers subsidised treatment for haze-related illnesses. Under this scheme, those aged 18 and below, or 65 and above, or who are on public assistance, can see a general practitioner for haze-related conditions for just $10.
On the issue of face masks, the ministry has warned that smaller versions of the N95 on the market may not be effective for children.
Dr James said these were likely designed for smaller adults and were not certified for kids. "These (smaller) masks were not designed specifically for children... so they may not provide the effectiveness they are supposed to."
The Health Ministry has said that children should instead stay indoors as much as possible during hazy conditions.
Meanwhile, employers are continuing to hand out face masks to their workers just in case the haze worsens again.
Singapore Press Holdings yesterday supplied its staff, including news vendors and more than 2,500 delivery workers, with N95 masks. More masks will be ordered.
Said news vendor Veerapandian, 40: "I am glad to receive the mask. I was not able to buy one as it was sold out in many outlets."
Additional reporting by Feng Zengkun, Pearl Lee and Afdhal Rahman
More people seeing the doctor due to haze
Amanda Lee Today Online 24 Jun 13;
SINGAPORE — The daily attendances for haze-related conditions at the emergency department and polyclinics have increased over the past week, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) at a technical briefing this evening (June 24).
Last week (June 17 to 23), there were 559 daily attendances at the emergency departments — an increase of 0.9 per cent — from 555 cases between June 10 to 16.
At the polyclinics, there were 3,853 daily attendances last week, an increase of 16.5 per cent, from 3,307 cases between June 10 to 16.
The 24-hour Pollutant Standard Index (PSI) tomorrow is expected to be in the moderate band of 51 to 100.
According to the health advisory, people with chronic lung disease, heart disease or stroke should avoid all outdoor activity. If outdoor activity is unavoidable, they are advised to wear an N95 mask.
Upsurge in asthma cases as KL gets hit
Lester Kong Malaysia Correspondent In Kuala Lumpur
Straits Times 25 Jun 13;
PUBLIC relations consultant Claire Khoo feels frustrated as the haze worsens her six-month-old son's bronchiolitis, which causes asthmatic symptoms.
"I feel like we are so far down the value chain for the authorities to want to do anything about our plight," said the 33-year-old mother. A doctor had told her to use an inhaler to relieve her son's symptoms, she said.
There has been an upsurge in asthma cases in the past week, as thick haze envelops the nation's capital, forcing schools to cancel classes yesterday. Besides Kuala Lumpur, schools in Malacca, Selangor, Putrajaya and parts of Johor and Pahang also closed.
Except for Klang, all schools in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Selangor will reopen today.
A change in wind direction is blowing the thick smoke north towards Kuala Lumpur and Selangor from Johor and Singapore.
The Air Pollutant Index (API) readings in Port Klang and Banting, both in Selangor, crossed into "hazardous" and "very unhealthy" territory respectively at 5pm yesterday.
The overall haze situation across Malaysia also worsened, with 42 per cent of the country recording "unhealthy" levels at 5pm, up from 36 per cent yesterday morning.
The haze situation in Muar improved considerably yesterday, however, with the API reading falling to 148 from a record 746 on Sunday morning. But the Johor town and nearby Ledang town remain under an emergency status declared on Sunday.
Port Dickson had the highest API reading of 335 yesterday, but this dropped to 193 at 5pm.
API readings of between 200 and 300 are deemed "very unhealthy", while those above 300 are considered "hazardous".
Malaysia Airlines has warned of flight interruptions in the next few days, as it monitors air quality over airports in Pahang, Kelantan, Terengganu, Kuala Lumpur and Sabah.
With haze levels remaining in the unhealthy range, a mad scramble for face masks has also led to shortages, as manufacturers have been unable to cope with demand.
Mr Lim Hai Leong told The Straits Times that his company in Penang can only deliver a maximum of 100,000 masks a week.
Strong demand has also pushed up prices, he said.
A box of 50 masks now costs about RM8 (S$3.18) instead of the usual RM5.
