Rise in respiratory infections and conjunctivitis

Poor visibility: Thick haze shrouding Kuala Lumpur’s skyline as seen from Lebuhraya Sungai Besi at 11.30am yesterday as an electronic signboard displays the Air Pollutant Index. A reading of 150 to 200 indicates unhealthy air quality. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star

PETALING JAYA: The haze blanketing parts of the country has led to a 10.43% increase in upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), while conjunctivitis cases rose by 26.47%, says the Health Ministry.

Data from 78 selected healthcare facilities nationwide showed that URTI cases increased from 3,509 in Epidemiological Week (EW) 39 to 3,875 in EW40.