MIRI: The haze situation has become severe during the past few days, causing an increase in the number of asthma cases and other related health conditions among the people here.

Dr Fam Tem Lom

General physician and consultant specialist Dr Fam Tem Lom said if the situation persists with thick haze, it is best to reduce heavy exercise in open space and stay indoors.

“During this time, staying indoors is the best option, with suitable air-conditioning temperature between 22 and 24 degrees Celsius. The air may cause dryness in the throat, thus it is best to keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of water,” he advised when contacted by The Borneo Post yesterday.

Haze particles in the air are said to affect the heart and lungs, a condition especially critical for people who already have health issues related to the heart and lung such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), shortness of breath, bad cough and possibly fever, he said.

N95 mask can be used by those who are having difficulty in breathing, as it effectively blocks haze and fine dust.

Asthma or bad airway condition, he stressed, is a health condition that one must not overlook, whether adult or children, as any sign or symptom must be referred to the doctor.

“If a person experiences breathing difficulty and lots of phlegm and also feels drowsy or giddy, they might have severe symptoms. For those experiencing such situation, it is best to get a family member or a friend to put an ear to the chest or at the back to listen to the lung on both sides. If you hear abnormal crackling sounds or any other sound (if compared to normal chest), it indicates the lung is very tight or the airway pipe is partially blocked due to mucous. If a patient is experiencing very high breathing rate for more than 20 minutes, it is best to bring them to the doctor for a detailed check-up as soon as possible,” he said.

Dr Fam further said that there are differences in breathing problem between adults and children.

“Adult lung problem occurs slowly over the years and the health condition is usually triggered by haze, infection or smoking, or when they have been taking multiple medications due to a health condition. Thus, any treatment may vary depending on the condition. A child’s lung, on the other hand, is usually in the growing stage and will properly respond to medication and treatment. The symptoms that occur are very straightforward and if they get proper help, they will be doing well after that,” he said.

Adult asthma patients who are having bad cough due to haze are advised to use an inhaler, whereas for a child patient, an aerochamber can be used to effectively deliver the medicine to the lungs.

Dr Fam stressed that since adults and children require different dosage, it is best to seek advice from a medical professional or pharmacist.

Consuming antibiotics is only advisable under the prescription of a medical professional, he added.

“Antibiotics are usually not needed as breathing difficulty is due to smoke or virus in the air. However, if the patient develops very high fever and feels unwell, they might be prescribed antibiotics if there are signs of infection,” he said.

For preventive measure, he suggested members of the public use face masks to protect themselves from over exposure to thick smoke or haze.

“For those who might have health conditions, it is best to use N95 masks, which work best in blocking out thick smoke and even prevent other viruses and infection. However, it is not advisable for children to use the mask.

“For those who do not have breathing problems, the commonly available mask in the market will be sufficient and more cost effective for their own protection,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lopeng fire station chief Terry Robson Forance Nyanggau urged the public to stop open burning to prevent the haze from getting worse.

“We are getting reports from the public on open burning almost every day. Though these reports involve smaller cases, we hope individuals would stop open burning for the sake of the public’s health and for the environment,” he told The Borneo Post.

As for the hazy weather yesterday, he explained that the haze is likely to be from Indonesia.

“Though there are cases of open burning here, these are insufficient to cause the hazy weather. We suspect the haze is brought here from our neighbouring country,” he said.