ALL public hospitals in Johor are prepared to receive additional patients following the unhealthy Air Pollution Index (API) readings recorded of late.

State Health and Unity Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said the measure was taken based on experience dealing with the smog situation in the past.

“The Johor State Health Department also advises the public not to conduct outdoor activities, drink lots of water and for those who have breathing problems we encourage them to wear face masks,” he told reporters at a press conference when surveying the Larkin area in Johor Baru today.

State Tourism, Environment, Heritage and Culture Committee chairman K. Raven Kumar said a discussion would be held with the Johor State Education Department to discuss the measures to be taken following the unhealthy air quality situation.

“In terms of safety, we advise the public to get readings via the MyIPU application. If possible, reduce outdoor activities, especially those involving school children,” he said.

According to the National Haze Action Plan, schools may be closed if the API reading exceeds the 200 mark, while in the event of an API reading of above 100, all activities outside the classroom must be stopped.

As of 4pm, the API reading for Larkin was 155, and a reading of 133 was recorded in Batu Pahat. – Bernama, October 1, 2023.