Southeast Asia haze tied to hospitalization for breathing problems
People are more likely to be hospitalized for respiratory disorders during the annual haze season in Southeast Asia, when densely polluted air hovers over the region, than at other times of year, a Malaysian study suggests. Since 2005, Southeast Asia has experienced an annual haze due to a combination of human activities and climate factors that promote both drought and natural fires, researchers note in the journal Respirology. The haze has worsened in recent years with illegal agricultural and land-clearing fires in parts of Indonesia, they add.
