Air pollution in many provinces across the country, including Bangkok, is forecast to get even worse until Monday, due mainly to windless conditions resulting in accumulation of PM2.5 dust in the atmosphere, according to Jirayu Huangsap, advisor to the National Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Command.
To address the deteriorating situation, he said the Command has ordered all relevant agencies to tighten controls of outdoor burning, by making sure that no one lights fires out-doors for any reason, as well as other measures to reduce airborne pollutants, especially in areas where they exceed the safe level.
He also said that the Ministry of Public Health has been instructed to put medical personnel on standby, to provide help to vulnerable people, including pregnant women, elderly people, small children and people suffering from heart or respiratory diseases.
76 provincial-level emergency teams, plus 878 teams at the district-level, are ready to visit people to provide help and advice, in addition to the emergency medical centres being set up across the country.
Dr. Warot Chotepittayasunon, spokesman for the Public Health Ministry, said today that they have prepared over 234,000 surgical masks and about 41,000 N95 masks for distribution to the vulnerable.
Citing studies, Dr. Piamlarp Saengsayant, from the Central Chest Institute, said that PM2.5 dust contributes to an increase in fatalities among patients suffering from cancer by 8%, lung diseases by 6% and heart diseases by 4%.
Online pollution clinics report that, from January 23rd to 29th, a total of 1,564 people have been treated for symptoms associated with the respiratory system, eye and skin irritation, sore throats and runny noses.
