Is Singapore's haze back in 2026, and what do PM2.5 readings mean for health?

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1. 1

   'Nowhere to escape' - Indonesians share footage of orange haze blanketing towns

   BBC NewsPublished Oct 15, 2026Checked Oct 15, 2026

   “Thick orange smog descended on the Indonesian city of Palangka Raya as wildfires continue raging nearby.”

2. 2

   The mental health and well-being effects of wildfire smoke: a scoping review

   BMC Public Health (Eisenman & Galway)Published Dec 5, 2022Checked Oct 15, 2026

   “Our review suggests that exposure to wildfire smoke may have mental health impacts, particularly in episodes of chronic and persistent smoke events, but the evidence is inconsistent and limited. Qualitative studies disclose a wider range of impacts across multiple mental health and well-being domains. The potential pathways connecting wildfire smoke with mental health and well-being operate at multiple interacting levels including individual, social and community networks, living and working conditions, and ecological levels. Priorities for future research include: 1) applying more rigorous methods; 2) differentiating between mental illness and emotional well-being; 3) studying chronic, persistent or repeated smoke events; 4) identifying the contextual factors that set the stage for mental health and well-being effects, and 5) identifying the causal processes that link wildfire smoke to mental health and well-being effects.”

3. 3

   Association between weather, air quality and asthma-related emergency department visits: a retrospective time-series study in Singapore.

   BMJ open (Toh et al.)Published Dec 18, 2025Checked Oct 12, 2026

   “Associations between ED visits and monsoons, transboundary haze and cultural festivals were evaluated using one-way analysis of variance. Weekly seasonal ARIMA models with exogenous regressors were fitted, incorporating PSI as a covariate and adjusting for demographic, clinical and socioeconomic factors.ResultsAsthma ED visits were positively correlated with PSI (lag 0: r=0.142; 95% CI 0.107 to 0.178) and inversely correlated with rainfall (lag 3: r=-0.062; 95% CI -0.099 to -0.026) and WBT (lag 1: r=-0.067; 95% CI -0.104 to -0.031). Wind speed (lag 2: r=-0.049; 95% CI -0.086 to -0.013) and ambient temperature (lag 6: r=-0.045; 95% CI -0.081 to -0.008) showed weaker inverse associations. Mean PSI was higher during haze (82.67 vs 51.46, pConclusionsPSI-ED association peaked on the same day of exposure but was no longer significant after adjusting for demographic and clinical factors. Pollution-linked festivals, transboundary haze and the Northeast monsoon were associated with increased asthma ED visits.”

4. 4

   Short-term exposure to fine particulate matter and asthma exacerbation: a large population-based case-crossover study in Southern Thailand.

   Environmental health : a global access science source (Varopichetsan et al.)Published May 7, 2025Checked Oct 12, 2026

   “PM2.5 concentrations > 50 µg/m³ were significantly associated with asthma exacerbations at multiple time lags (lag0, lag2, and lag01 to lag03), with odds ratios ranging from 1.41 to 1.64, compared to the lowest concentration group (PM2.5 0-15 µg/m³). Temperature showed no significant effect, while relative humidity was positively associated with asthma exacerbations at lag3, lag06, and lag07. Subgroup analyses revealed associations between PM2.5 exposure and asthma exacerbations at early lags for both males and females. Additionally, children aged 6-11 years and 12-17 years exhibited greater susceptibility to asthma exacerbations, particularly at PM2.5 concentrations of 15-25 µg/m³.ConclusionThis study underscores the short-term effects of PM2.5 on asthma exacerbations, particularly during high-pollution episodes of transboundary haze in regions that generally experience low levels of air pollution. These findings emphasize the importance of achieving the WHO air quality targets to mitigate the health impacts from PM2.5.”

5. 5

   The burden of acute conjunctivitis attributable to ambient particulate matter pollution in Singapore and its exacerbation during South-East Asian haze episodes

   The Science of The Total Environment (Aik et al.)Published Jun 11, 2020Checked Oct 12, 2026

   “Every 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was associated with a 3.8% (Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR): 1.038, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.029–1.046, p < 0.001) cumulative increase in risk of conjunctivitis over the present and subsequent week. Every 10 μg/m3 increase in PM10 was associated with a 2.9% (Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR): 1.029, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.022–1.036, p < 0.001) cumulative increase in risk of conjunctivitis over the present and subsequent week. Acute conjunctivitis reports exhibited an inverse dependence on ambient air temperature and relative humidity variability. Approximately 3% of all acute conjunctivitis reports were attributable to PM2.5. Particulate matter attributed acute conjunctivitis was disproportionately higher during transboundary haze episodes. Our study strengthens the evidence linking particulate matter exposure to an increased risk of conjunctival disease, with a disproportionately higher disease burden during South-East Asia transboundary haze episodes. Our findings underscore the importance of reducing the health impact of indigenous and transboundary sources of ambient particulate matter pollution.”

6. 6

   Acute Health Impacts of the Southeast Asian Transboundary Haze Problem—A Review

   International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (Cheong et al.)Published Sep 6, 2019Checked Oct 12, 2026

   “In light of growing public health concerns, recent studies have begun to examine the health effects of this seasonal haze problem in Southeast Asia. This review paper aims to synthesize current research efforts on the impact of the Southeast Asian transboundary haze on acute aspects of public health. Existing studies conducted in countries affected by transboundary haze indicate consistent links between haze exposure and acute psychological, respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological morbidity and mortality. Future prospective and longitudinal studies are warranted to quantify the long-term health effects of recurrent, but intermittent, exposure to high levels of seasonal haze. The mechanism, toxicology and pathophysiology by which these toxic particles contribute to disease and mortality should be further investigated. Epidemiological studies on the disease burden and socioeconomic cost of haze exposure would also be useful to guide policy-making and international strategy in minimizing the impact of seasonal haze in Southeast Asia.”

7. 7

   Attributing climate-related health burdens in Southeast Asia: a scoping review.

   The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific (Simion et al.)Published Aug 21, 2026Checked Oct 12, 2026

   “Although growing evidence demonstrates substantial health impacts from air pollution, heat, and extreme weather, the regional research landscape remains critically imbalanced, marked by neglect of other major hazards-including floods, droughts, extreme rainfall, storms and sea-level rise-and substantial methodological fragmentation. From 5294 records screened, 77 studies met our inclusion criteria. The evidence is dominated by air pollution research, the focus of 70% of studies and linked to up to 31% of all-cause mortality and an estimated 296,000 annual deaths from wildfire smoke during El Niño events. Heat, the second most studied exposure, was associated with up to 8.61% of mortality in Bangkok. In contrast, extreme events such as heatwaves, floods and storms were least frequently investigated. These findings reveal a critical misalignment between regional climate risks and current research focus. Standardized attribution frameworks are urgently needed to support integrated climate-health modeling and guide equitable, evidence-based adaptation across Southeast Asia.”

8. 8

   APEC climate center multi-model ensemble dataset for seasonal climate prediction.

   Scientific data (Yhang et al.)Published Feb 20, 2025Checked Oct 18, 2026

   “The multi-model ensemble (MME) technique is useful for obtaining reliable climate information. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Climate Center (APCC) has provided well-constructed MME data and individual model data included in the MME. This study examines the prediction skill of the APCC MME, focusing on 2-m temperature, precipitation, and sea surface temperature. For the overall evaluation of the APCC MME, the hindcast skill was assessed for the period of 1991-2010 for four sets of APCC MME representing the operational model suites from 2019 to 2022. The forecast skill was also evaluated to demonstrate actual predictability from 2019 to 2022. Hindcast validation showed a modest improvement, indicating continuous enhancement. In addition, it was demonstrated that the forecast skill was consistently maintained. These seasonal forecast data can provide valuable insights for decision-making across various sectors, helping mitigate risks and optimize resource management.”

9. 9

   Identifying key convection-sensitive oceanic regions to weaken the ENSO spring predictability barrier.

   Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (Mei et al.)Published Mar 16, 2026Checked Oct 18, 2026

   “The SPB arises from weak air-sea coupling that limits the growth and persistence of the ENSO signal. Improving springtime prediction therefore requires identifying oceanic regions most relevant for convection variability. Here, we introduce a Sea Surface Temperature Range Index (SRI), which quantifies the spatial extent of Sea surface temperatures favorable for convection. Using SRI, we show that regions exceeding 26 °C in the east-central Pacific and 28.5 °C in the eastern Atlantic during spring are critical for initiating persistent intense convection. The expansion of these convection-sensitive areas strengthens the Bjerknes feedback by modulating the Walker circulation, providing an effective predictor of ENSO evolution. We further develop a Long Short-Term Memory deep learning model incorporating SRI, which achieves higher predictive skill than the average of dynamical and statistical models, especially for multiyear La Niña events. These results underscore the central role of convection-sensitive oceanic regions in alleviating the SPB.”

10. 10

    Qantas fleet (Wikipedia)

    WikipediaPublished Oct 14, 2026Checked Oct 18, 2026

    “Qantas operates a fleet of Airbus A321XLR, Airbus A330, Airbus A380, Boeing 737 and Boeing 787 aircraft. This list excludes aircraft from subsidiaries Qantas Freight, QantasLink and Jetstar. Since the early 2020s the airline has been undertaking what it describes as the largest fleet renewal program in its history, progressively replacing its Boeing 737-800, Airbus A330 and Airbus A380 aircraft with Airbus A321XLR, Airbus A350-1000 and Boeing 787 types. The program followed a period of deferred aircraft investment during the 2010s, during which the average age of the fleet increased and drew criticism from credit-rating analysts and aviation commentators.”

11. 11

    Ultra Long-Haul: An emerging business model accelerated by COVID-19.

    Journal of air transport management (Bauer et al.)Published Aug 20, 2020Checked Oct 18, 2026

    “The COVID-19 outbreak has sent shockwaves throughout the aviation industry, sending a myriad of liquidity-strapped airlines into administration or part government ownership. In turn, this paper argues that the novel phenomenon of Ultra Long Haul (ULH) operations already maintains the necessary characteristics to generate a competitive advantage that will not only succeed, but outperform other business models, in a post COVID-19 era. Our modelling and scenario analysis results suggest that point-to-point ULH services, with access to a strong domestic feeder system, will not only require minimal adjustments to cope with COVID-19, but will simultaneously produce higher seat-load factors and yields, heightened network flexibility, and unique health benefits tied to its ability to bypass densely populated hub airports.”

12. 12

    Cardiovascular and Respiratory Health Effects of Fine Particulate Matters (PM2.5): A Review on Time Series Studies

    Atmosphere (Mahiyuddin et al.)Published May 11, 2023Checked Oct 18, 2026

    “Articles were first screened by their titles and abstracts. Then two reviewers independently reviewed and evaluated the full text of the remaining articles for eligibility. Of the 407 potentially relevant studies, 138 articles were included for final analysis. There was an increasing trend in publications from 2016 to 2019 but a decreasing trend in the year 2020. Most studies were conducted in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia (69.6%), Europe and Northern America (14.5%) and Latin America and the Caribbean (8.7%), with the majority coming from high- and upper-middle-income countries (95.6%). The main methodology used was Generalized Additive Model (GAM) with Poisson distribution (74.6%). Morbidity was the most common health outcome studied (60.1%), with vulnerable groups (64.5%) often included. The association between PM2.5 and health effects was stronger for respiratory diseases compared to cardiovascular diseases. In short-term studies (less than 7 years), respiratory diseases showed higher risks compared to cardiovascular. However, in long-term studies (7 years and more), cardiovascular showed higher risks.”

13. 13

    Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5), the Exposome, and Cumulative Health Risk: A Life-course Perspective.

    Journal of preventive medicine and public health = Yebang Uihakhoe chi (Sangkham et al.)Published Jul 1, 2026Checked Oct 18, 2026

    “After inhalation, PM2.5 particles can penetrate the respiratory tract, and finer fractions may enter the systemic circulation, where they induce oxidative stress, inflammation, epigenetic dysregulation, and endocrine disruption. These mechanisms contribute to a broad spectrum of adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, and neurodegenerative diseases as well as cancers. The multi-level and temporally accumulated nature of these effects highlights the limitations of reductionist exposure assessment and underscores the need for integrative, systems-based approaches. Integrating cumulative impact assessment with exposome-wide approaches that leverage satellite, clinical, land-use, urban planning, and socioeconomic data can improve the characterization of context-specific cumulative health effects. Positioning PM2.5 as a sentinel indicator of cumulative environmental risk provides a unifying framework for exposome-informed science and supports the development of more precise, equitable, and policy-relevant interventions.”

14. 14

    Modeling long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and oil price declines on Gulf oil economies.

    Economic modelling (Shehabi)Published Apr 8, 2022Checked Oct 14, 2026

    “Thus, this study assesses the impacts of the pandemic on the long-term economic sustainability of Gulf economies, using illustrations from Kuwait using the economy-wide WAFRA Applied General Equilibrium (WAFRAGE) Model applied to Kuwait (WAFRAGE-KWT Model). The simulation results indicate that post-pandemic, the economic resiliency of these states has significantly waned, primarily because the pandemic hit during a state of weakened economic resilience following the 2014 oil price collapse and subsequent government response. Although COVID-relief packages appeared in the form of counter-cyclical fiscal policy, Gulf states are unable to realize this policy's full potential benefits. They are incapable of being truly counter-cyclical under their current economic structure and the consumption-based nature of the COVID-relief packages, which protect oligopolistic firms' profits and reduce production, non-oil exports, and economic efficiency. The eroded fiscal and economic resiliency also threatens Gulf states' ability to weather energy transitions. The implication of the findings is that long-term sustainability requires immediate phased implementation of economic and energy reforms.”

15. 15

    GCC Countries Strategic Options in a Global Transition to Zero-Net Emissions.

    Environmental modeling and assessment (Babonneau et al.)Published Jun 3, 2023Checked Oct 14, 2026

    “Using a multi-level perspective approach combined with top-down macroeconomic models, we analyze the situation of the GCC countries in the perspective of a global transition to zero-net emissions before the end of the century. Based on these analyses, we propose strategic and political options for these oil and gas exporting countries. We show that it would be unwise for GCC member states to adopt an obstructionist strategy in international climate negotiations. On the contrary, these countries could be proactive in developing international emissions trading market and exploiting negative emissions obtained from CO2 direct reduction technologies, in particular direct air capture with CO2 sequestration, and thus contribute to a global net-zero-emissions regime in which clean fossil fuels are still used.”