Smoke in Manaus causes increase in calls by Samu – 10/13/2023 – Environment

The Manaus municipal health department recorded an increase in visits for respiratory causes made by Samu (Mobile Emergency Care Service). The population reports difficulty breathing due to inhalation of the dense smoke that covers the city for the third consecutive day, this Friday (13).

According to municipal records, Samu treated 143 patients with respiratory problems in the first 10 days of October alone. In the same period last year, there were 116.

Real-time indicators from the World Air Quality Index website ranked the air quality in the capital of Amazonas among the worst in the world during the day—which has been felt by the population. On social media, there are reports of symptoms such as nosebleeds, runny nose, burning eyes and dry throat.

On Twitter, a user described the difficulty in routine for those who live in the region. “It is unbearable to live in a city like Manaus! The smoke is consuming the city, as if the heat of +/- 40°C and one of the biggest droughts in rivers were not enough. Without water, with heat and with difficulty breathing”, he said .

Outraged by the situation, residents also demand measures from local authorities and the federal government.

“The only way to breathe in Manaus… That’s working indoors. With everything closed and the air on. And I bet it could get even worse since we depend on public authorities”, posted a resident, with a photo wearing a mask.

“Nose started to burn. Migraine hit. Smoke enters the room through any possible gap because there is no longer anywhere to stay outside. All that’s left is to sleep with a mask on,” he wrote in another post.

Manaus City Hall published on social media a list of recommendations for the population to protect themselves from pollution. Among the guidelines, the municipality recommends drinking plenty of water, wearing a mask and avoiding outdoor physical activities and crowds.

At home and at work, recommendations include keeping doors and windows closed and placing containers of water in the spaces.

“It is important to keep the environment humidified, using air purifiers, humidifiers, fans, basins with water, towels or wet cloths”, added the municipal administration.

The FVS-RCP (Amazon Health Surveillance Foundation – Dr. Rosemary Costa Pinto), linked to the Amazonas Health Department, also published guidelines for the population to protect themselves from respiratory diseases.

The institution’s recommendations also cover the use of a protective mask when circulating in smoky environments, hydration and skin protection with the application of sunscreen.

The head of the FVS-RCP Epidemiological Surveillance Department, Alexsandro Melo, states that, in case of an allergic reaction in the eyes or nostrils, the advice is to avoid contact with the affected areas.

“Do not scratch your eyes and nose, and keep away from fumes. The situation can be alleviated by washing the areas with saline solution,” he said.

According to the institution, the population should be aware of symptoms such as headaches, irritation and burning of the eyes, nose and throat, hoarseness, dry cough, difficulty breathing and tiredness.

“In case of any worsening of symptoms, the person should seek the nearest health unit to seek adequate and timely medical care,” said the FVS-RCP.

This Friday, the government of President Lula (PT) recommended that the population throughout the state of Amazonas stay at home to avoid smoke from the fires occurring in the region. The fires have already led 55 municipalities to declare a state of emergency.

“We have to try to avoid exposure to smoke, air pollution, whoever can, stay at home, avoid being close to fire sites, avoid physical activities,” said Márcio Garcia, director of the Emergency Department at the Secretariat of Health and Environment Surveillance .

On another front, the Ministry of the Environment announced that it will reinforce the fight against fires with an additional 149 firefighters, reaching 289 in the coming days.

Data from Inpe (National Institute for Space Research) points to a record number of hot spots in Amazonas. There were 2,684 registrations in the first ten days of October in the state alone, compared to 1,503 in the entire month last year.