Health

Masks become commonplace in Asia due to air pollution, coronavirus

Bangkok, Feb 11 (EFE).- Simple surgical masks, with colorful designs and even bulging filters have become commonplace in many cities in Asia due to air pollution and coronavirus.The Japanese have been wearing masks for the longest time and, in China, their use has been declared mandatory in many cities due to a new coronavirus the World Health Organization has provisionally named 2019-nCoV, but their use is also rapidly expanding in countries such as Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.The coronavirus, detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December, has caused at least 1,000 deaths and infected more than 42,000 people in China while 161 cases have been detected in Japan (135 on a cruise ship), 45 in Singapore, 32 in Thailand and 28 in South Korea, out of a total of 27 affected countries. (Camera: GASPAR RUIZ CANELA). FOOTAGE SHOWS PEOPLE COMMUTING ON THE STREETS OF BANGKOK, THAILAND, WITH FACE MASKS. SOUNDBITES: THANITTHAR CHAIPORNKAEW, 36-YEAR-OLD BUSINESSWOMAN; AND WICHAI PHONGBUAPUEN, 46-YEAR-OLD MOTOTAXI DRIVER.TRANSLATIONS: 1.) Thanitthar Chaipornkaew: The cause of this problem would have to do with several things such as traffic or the field burning by farmers, so the government has to solve every detail of these problems, otherwise it will accumulate (00:48-01:05)2.) Wichai Phongbuapuen: This (mask) cannot really protect me that much, but it is necessary to wear it (01:25-01:30).3.) Wichai Phongbuapuen: Of course, I am very worried, otherwise I wouldn't have bought it. My throat hurts if I don't wear anything. Plus, I am a motor taxi driver who works on the street, the pollution directly affects me (01:37-01:54).