The air quality in Nilai, Negri Sembilan has worsened with the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading rising to 105 at 5pm today from 101 at 11am and 98 at 7am.

Acording to the Department of Environment’s (DoE) website, Nilai was the only area where the air quality was categorised as unhealthy, while 34 other locations nationwide recorded moderate API readings and 14 having good air quality.

API readings for air quality are categorised as follows: 0-50 (good), 51-100 (moderate), 101-200 (unhealthy ), 201-300 (very unhealthy), and 300 and above (hazardous).

In SHAH ALAM, the API reading rose to 95 from 93 at 11am and 87 at 7am. The reading in Petaling Jaya also rose to 95 from 94 and 87 respectively.

Yesterday, the DoE expected the haze to continue for a few more days and advised the public not to carry out open burning and to cooperate in putting out small fires.

In Malacca, haze enveloped certain areas with visibility at between four and six kilometres. Bukit Rambai recorded the highest API reading in the state but slightly down to 94 from 98 at 11am and 96 at 7am today.

State DoE director Abd Hapiz A Samad when contacted said the department was monitoring the situation from two stations, namely SMK Tun Tuah in Bachang and SMK Bukit Rambai.

He said those with colds and coughs, asthma, eye irritations and respiratory problems were advised to seek immediate medical treatment if their conditions worsened due to exposure to the haze.

- Bernama