At least 27 people have been affected, the Minister of Health (MINSA), Luis Francisco Sucre, revealed after the meeting of the specialized committee on the subject, convened by President Laurentino Cortizo, at the National Operations Center.

The fire, which originated in the recycling sector of the garbage dump in the outskirts of the city, was intentional, according to the Fire Department, so the Public Prosecutor’s Office started investigations.

Press media such as La Estrella de Panamá warn that the fires in the 162 hectares landfill are not new, since in the last 12 months, 15 fires have been registered. This reality ends up exposing the population to various diseases or allergies, pneumologist Lorena Noriega said.

“Smoke, an irritating substance, directly and immediately affects people with respiratory and/or allergic conditions, such as rhinitis, asthma and other chronic lung diseases such as emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis,” she said.

This is a worrisome scenario for the more than 18,000 persons who live near the area and who, due to its location, are prone to develop chronic diseases that end up causing coughing, sneezing, runny nose and asthma crises or aggravations.

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