Jakarta, Oct. 21 -- Indonesia's Ministry of Health has established 477 emergency oxygen shelters across community health centers ( puskesmas ), hospitals, and public facilities in seven provinces to treat residents affected by toxic haze from ongoing forest and land fires.

Aji Muhawarman, head of the ministry's Public Communications and Information Bureau, said here on Wednesday that Central Kalimantan hosts the highest number with 295 shelters, followed by South Kalimantan (127) and West Kalimantan (35).

According to data from the ministry's Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, forest fires spanning 65 districts and cities in those seven provinces have caused 314,124 cases of acute respiratory infections (ARI).

Among those infec...