Bad Air Quality In The Next 3 Days, Jakarta-Jabar-Banten Residents Are Asked To Wear Masks

Illustration of residents playing in the park wearing masks. (Between-Jessica Helena)

JAKARTA - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) appealed to the public to wear masks when in locations with high air contamination levels.

"The public is also advised to always pay attention to air quality information, especially from the BMKG, KLHK, and the local Environment Agency as the authorized government agency," said Acting Deputy for Climatology BMKG Ardhasena Sopaheliwakan in Jakarta, Monday, September 11, quoted by Antara.

Ardhasena explained that the prediction of air quality for the next three days since September 12, 2023 shows that DKI Jakarta, West Java (West Java), and Banten are categorized as unhealthy or PM2.5 concentration.

He added that air quality based on PM2.5 concentrations in the past week was generally in the moderate to unhealthy category.

Ardhasena revealed that monitoring the distribution of NO2 or nitrogen dioxide gas as an indicator of air pollution in the period 1-10 September 2023 most in the Jabodetabek, Banten, and Sunda Strait areas.

"Gas NO2 can be used as an indicator of the source of air pollutants as a result of emissions from the use of fossil fuels," he said.

Therefore, he said, in addition to wearing masks and paying attention to air quality information, BMKG also appealed to the public to maintain a healthy life, increase green plants, regulate air circulation, clean air indoors, use public transportation, and avoid places with high pollution.

Previously, the Director of Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases at the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) Imran Pambudi explained that cases of Upper Respiratory Channel Infection (ISPA) in Jabodetabek increased in line with the increase in air pollution levels.

"We can't say how much the weather affects, but we can see that the trend of increasing ISPA cases is in line with the increase in pollution levels, in general, we have a week trend, starting Monday (4 September) it will increase compared to last week," he said.

Based on data submitted by Imran, the non-pneumonia ISPA case (attacking the respiratory tract from the throat to the top, for example coughing) was recorded to have mostly occurred in East Jakarta, reaching 3,115 cases on Tuesday, September 5, surging compared to Wednesday, August 30, which was 2,419 cases.

"Until now, the proportion of ISPA cases as a whole is still dominated by productive age (17-50 years)," he said.