Toxic haze from Indonesian fires affects Borneo

Smoke from forest fires in Indonesia has led to hazardous air quality in Malaysian Borneo, particularly in Sarawak, where air pollutant index readings exceeded 400. This has resulted in a spike in respiratory illnesses, school closures affecting over 200,000 students, and the cancellation of Independence Day celebrations. Malaysia’s Ministry of Health reported a significant increase in asthma cases, while ASEAN issued a Level 3 transboundary haze alert due to rising fire hotspots and dry weather conditions.

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