The death toll from Indonesia's wildfire smoke reached an estimated 3,560 in September, roughly double August's figure, while about 57.8 million people breathed unhealthy to hazardous air. The crisis has triggered protests in Jakarta and other cities against President Prabowo Subianto's policies, and the government announced prosecutions of companies tied to the fires. Over 4.6 million acres have burned since August, and more than 300,000 Indonesians have sought treatment for acute respiratory problems.
World Health Organization
3 stories since 28 October 2026, newest first
31 October 2026
29 October 2026
Researchers call for the World Health Organization to label climate change a global health emergency, citing a Lancet Countdown study that attributes three million heat‑related deaths worldwide since the 2015 Paris Agreement, with 68 % directly linked to human‑caused warming. The report also notes a record 710,000 heat‑related deaths in 2023, over 70 % of which stem from climate change, and highlights a surge in extreme drought affecting 52 % of land in 2025. The study was released ahead of COP 31 in Turkiye.
28 October 2026
Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo report 10,060 Ebola infections and 4,887 deaths since the outbreak was declared in mid-May. Cases have also been confirmed in Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda, with Kenya reporting nine cases and two deaths. At least 2,600 patients have recovered. The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment exists. Ituri and North Kivu provinces account for most reported cases, and Africa CDC calls it the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history.