Respiratory ailments rise in Brazil as Amazon fires rage

PORTO VELHO, Brazil (AP) — Lingering smoke in the Amazon is reportedly causing increased respiratory problems — particularly among children and the elderly — as fires in the region rage.

“The kids are affected the most. They’re coughing a lot,” said Elane Diaz, a nurse in the Rondonia state capital of Porto Velho, as she waited for a doctor’s appointment Tuesday at the city’s 9 of July hospital with her 5-year-old son Eduardo.

“They have problems breathing. I’m concerned because it affects their health.”

The number of people treated for respiratory issues increased sharply in recent days at the local Cosme e Damia Children’s hospital.

“This period has been very tough. The dry weather and the smoke causes many problems for children, such as pneumonia, coughing and secretion,” Daniel Pires, a paediatrician and the hospital’s adjunct director told the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper.

He said the number of cases has more than doubled since the early part of the month.

Fears over health impacts have been growing with the surge in fires, with more than 77,000 blazes documented by the country’s National Space Research Institute since the start of the year.

About half of the fires occurred in the Amazon region, with most in the past month.

But the issue has been overshadowed by growing acrimony between Brazil and European countries seeking to help fight Amazon fires in a region seen as vital to the health of the planet. 

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