The Straits Times reported on the morning of Tuesday 13 October that the 24-hour PSI remained unhealthy in all regions, and AsiaOne said the PSI had been rising overnight. The one-hour PM2.5 reading was elevated in four of five regions at 6am (Straits Times) and in all regions except the north by about 8am (CNA). MOH said there was a small uptick in polyclinic and emergency-room visits and that it knew of no deaths or haze-related ICU cases (Straits Times). CAAS and Changi Airport Group said 16 flights were diverted from Seletar between 5 and 11 October, while Changi and Seletar stayed open (CNA, Straits Times). Firefly extended its Seletar–Subang cancellations (CNA). Malaysian schools in Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and other districts close on 14 October (Straits Times). Malaysia’s foreign minister will raise haze at ASEAN (CNA), and Indonesia’s president has ordered tougher action on the fires (Straits Times).
Haze is a health problem and a travel problem at once. Fine particles pass deep into the lungs and the bloodstream, so children, older people and anyone with asthma, heart or lung conditions are most at risk, and low visibility has already forced flights to divert. The diplomatic question is who answers for a problem that starts in another country’s fires.
Check the PSI and the one-hour PM2.5 on NEA’s website or the myENV app before outdoor plans, and cut back on strenuous activity when the air is unhealthy. Wear a well-fitted N95 mask if you must be outdoors for long. If you have asthma, a young child or an elderly parent at home, see a doctor early rather than waiting for symptoms to worsen. If you are driving or flying to Johor, check school and flight notices first.
MOH’s early picture is reassuring: a small rise in clinic visits and no known deaths or ICU cases (Straits Times).
Malaysia’s foreign minister argues that ASEAN’s disaster mechanism does not cover haze at all, which suggests existing arrangements fall short of the problem (CNA).
The air is the headline, but the number to watch is how many days it stays unhealthy. Health effects can lag the air, so MOH’s “small uptick” is a snapshot, not a forecast. Watch three things today: the NEA readings this morning, whether Malaysia extends its school closures, and whether Kuala Lumpur gets its ASEAN discussion, which is the only route to a regional rule. The Straits Times headline about firms under investigation is worth a follow-up once names appear.
CNA, The Straits Times, AsiaOne, MS News (13 Oct 2026)
Haze stays unhealthy across Singapore, but the Health Ministry sees only a small rise in clinic visitsHaze stays unhealthy across Singapore, but the Health Ministry sees only a small rise in clinic visits
The 24-hour PSI stayed unhealthy in every region on Tuesday morning. Sixteen flights were diverted from Seletar in a week, and Malaysia closes more schools today.
Air quality stayed in the unhealthy range on Tuesday. The Straits Times reported on Tuesday morning that the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) remained unhealthy in all regions of Singapore, and AsiaOne reported that the PSI had been rising overnight as fine-particle readings climbed. At 6am the one-hour PM2.5 reading, which measures particles small enough to reach deep into the lungs, was in the elevated band in four of the five regions (Straits Times); by about 8am CNA reported it was elevated everywhere except the north. NEA, the National Environment Agency, publishes both readings. DailyDrop has not seen the evening figures, so check NEA directly before you plan the day.
There is no sign yet of a health surge. The Ministry of Health (MOH) said there was a small uptick in visits to polyclinics and emergency rooms, and that it was not aware of any deaths or haze-related cases sent to intensive care, the Straits Times reported. Demand for protection is rising: a retailer told the Straits Times that sales of air purifiers and air conditioners picked up in recent weeks and jumped from 9 October, while stocks of N95 masks are sufficient. A separate Straits Times piece explains why switching on an air conditioner alone will not keep haze particles out of indoor air.
The smoke is also reaching the runways. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Changi Airport Group said 16 flights were diverted from Seletar Airport between 5 and 11 October because of low visibility; Changi and Seletar remain open, and further measures will follow if the haze worsens (CNA, Straits Times). Malaysia’s Firefly extended its cancellation of Seletar–Subang flights, calling it a “proactive safety measure” (CNA). Across the border, schools in Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and several other districts are closed today (Straits Times).
The argument is turning to the source. Malaysia’s foreign minister, Mohamad Hasan, said his country will raise transboundary haze at an ASEAN meeting because the bloc’s disaster mechanism does not class haze as a natural disaster (CNA). In Indonesia, President Prabowo Subianto has ordered tougher action on the fires, and foreign offers of help were not discussed, the Straits Times said; CNA reported that poor visibility and wild animals are hampering firefighters. MS News carried an Indonesian official’s remark that “when there is no haze, we send oxygen”, and the Straits Times ran a headline saying Malaysian and Singaporean firms are under investigation. DailyDrop has not seen the details of that inquiry or any company named.