LOCAL health officers in Central Visayas started monitoring their areas to determine if there is a spike in pulmonary and respiratory diseases due to the haze currently affecting the region.
The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 7 reported that the average concentration of pollutants measuring 2.5 micrometers in diameter within 24 hours was only 39 micrograms per normal cubic meter (µg/Nm3).
Yesterday’s average concentration was still within the tolerable level of 75 µg/Nm3.
William Cuñado, EMB 7 director, said that while the air quality in Metro Cebu has improved, continuous inhalation and exposure even to smaller concentrations of particles may result to its accumulation in the body, causing health problems.
He noted that while average readings were lower than in the previous days, they recorded a high level of PM 2.5 pollutants at 81 µg/Nm3 at 12 a.m. while the lowest was 9 µg/Nm3 at 3 a.m. yesterday.
“Aside from the haze above us, we must also consider the pollutants that we produce on a daily basis such as the fumes produced by cars and industries,” said Cuñado.
Cases monitoring
Dr. Jaime Bernadas, Department of Health (DOH) 7 director, told reporters they have yet to see a sudden increase of pulmonary and respiratory illnesses.
But it doesn’t mean that the public can stop taking precautions, Bernadas said.
He urged the public to be vigilant and continue to follow precautionary measures, especially for vulnerable sectors such as the young and the elderly.
City and provincial health officers have also started taking their own precautions against the haze.
Dr. Rodolfo Berame, Lapu-Lapu City Health officer, said that while they were not able to acquire the N95 mask prescribed to protect against PM 2.5 particles brought by the haze, they started distributing ordinary face masks to their constituents.
“I instructed the rural health units per barangay to give two masks per one person and have them soaked in water as a way to protect them from the haze,” Berame added.
Emergency buy
Dr. Cynthia Genosolango, Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) chief, also told reporters that she recommended to the Cebu Provincial Government to conduct an emergency purchase of N95 masks.
Genosolango said that through the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), they will acquire Environmental Beta Attenuation Monitor (E-BAM) that will help collect data on the current air quality in Cebu.
She said they will check with other LGUs if they received reports of suspected haze victims in their areas.
Meanwhile, Al Quiblat of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Mactan told reporters that the smaze started to weaken after the southwest monsoon winds have shifted towards the northeast. (Pagasa coined the term “smaze” for a combination of smoke and haze.)
“For the next seven days, we will be expecting moderate to occasionally strong winds blowing towards the northeast,” Quiblat added.