Jakarta, Oct. 23 -- Indonesia's daily cases of acute respiratory infections (ARI) from forest and land fires have fallen to about 3,000 from 10,000 to 15,000, with 333,470 cumulative cases as of October 22, the health minister said.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said on Thursday his ministry is distributing masks, with 1.6 million needed in total and delivery expected to be completed next week.

"The initial treatment involves oxygen therapy. We must provide oxygen cylinders with tubing or oxygen concentrators, which will also be distributed to the regions within the next one to two weeks," he said.

He wants all regions with a red or black Air Pollution Standard Index (ISPU) rating to have these facilities. His ministry is also di...