Bushfires: Australia issues health warnings as Sydney air quality plummets

From the BMJ, 10 December 2019:

Large bushfires have shrouded Australia’s east coast in dense smoke, prompting health authorities to issue warnings as Sydney’s air quality index exceeded hazardous levels by a factor of 10.

The number of people across New South Wales presenting to hospital emergency departments with respiratory problems increased by around 25% above the usual weekly average for the first week of December, and ambulance callouts are up by around 30%, says a report from NSW Health, the state health department. Read more.