Respiratory illness cases in Indonesia exceed 170,000 amid haze from wildfires.

What it means

Indonesia's Health Ministry has reported over 170,000 cases of respiratory problems in regions affected by haze from ongoing wildfires, primarily on Sumatra and Borneo. The figure covers acute respiratory infections recorded across several provinces from August to late September 2026. This is a recurring seasonal crisis exacerbated by land-clearing fires.

Accuracy & sourcesGrounded

The claim originates from a statement by an Indonesian Health Ministry official, reported consistently across multiple credible news outlets (Phys.org, Channel News Asia, SCMP, The Guardian). While no direct link to the ministry's raw data is provided, the cross-source consistency and official attribution make the figure reliable as a reported statistic.

How new

Genuinely new reporting from late September 2026, covering the current wildfire season's health impact.

Go deeper

• The Guardian (UK) — first to publish