Mali Urges Mandatory Face Masks as Heavy Dust Haze Blankets Country

Mali’s meteorological department has recommended the mandatory wearing of face masks to protect the respiratory tract as thick dust haze covers parts of the country.

The department issued the warning on Monday as the nation woke to a dense layer of dust haze, which health specialists say often leads to a significant reduction in visibility and a marked deterioration in air quality.

Other recommendations include keeping doors and windows closed to limit the infiltration of fine particles into homes and drinking water regularly to moisten the mucous membranes. Particular attention should be paid to children, the elderly, and people with asthma, health specialists advised.

They also directed road users to exercise caution due to reduced visibility on the capital’s main roads.

Mali, a landlocked country in West Africa’s Sahel region, is widely recognized as one of the nations most vulnerable to extreme weather and climate-related shocks. According to the United Nations, the country often faces intense droughts and severe flooding. Its climate ranges from the arid Sahara in the north to semi-arid conditions in the center and tropical savanna in the south.