Schools Urged To Take Preventive Measures Against H1N1

[Commonground]

<cite> <abbr class="timedate" title="2 hours 39 minutes ago">2 hours 39 minutes ago

</abbr></cite>BACHOK, April 3 (Bernama) -- Director-General of Education Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom has urged schools to take preventive measures to check the spread of Influenza A H1N1.


"I urge schools to refer to the Education Ministry circular as the directive remained the same as that issued last year," he told reporters after the opening of the National Co-curriculum Gala 2010 by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at Kem Tangok here today.


Alimuddin said the Health Ministry reported a rising trend for H1N1 since three weeks ago with 50 positive cases weekly.


Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said there were ten influenza like illness (ILI) cluster cases reported in Kelantan, Perak, Kedah, Selangor and Melaka last week.


They were at SK Selat Bagan Nyior, Pulau Dayang Bunting, Langkawi (48), SM Teknik Langkawi (43), Purnama Beach Resort, Pulau Pangkor (31) and SMK Langkawi Pulau Tuba, Langkawi (30 cases).


http://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/bnm/20100403/tts-alimuddin-h1n1-bm-993ba14.html

 

[kiwibird]

Re: Schools Urged To Take Preventive Measures Against H1N1

Schools fight H1N1
2010/04/07

By Annie Freeda Cruez


KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry has issued a circular calling on all schools to put in place or reactivate mechanisms to stop the spread of influenza-like illness (ILI) or influenza A (H1N1).




The emphasis is on social distancing to prevent the spread of the disease. The measures that must be adhered to with immediate effect are:

* Pupils or school staff infected with the disease or show ILI symptoms must be sent home or to the nearest clinic or hospital;

* Parents must not send sick children to school until they have recovered from their illness;

* Pupils of schools with reported cluster cases or those with high absenteeism should be screened;


and,

* Schools with ILI cluster cases must immediately notify the district or state education department and the district health department so that they can take measures to stop the spread of the disease.

Speaking to the New Straits Times, Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said all schools with a high absenteeism rate owing to ILI or H1N1 had been ordered to immediately check the temperature of their pupils.

Children with mild symptoms of the disease, such as a runny nose, must wear face masks when in school.

Wee said the ministry had ordered district and state education departments to monitor schools in their areas and report to the ministry if there were cluster cases of ILI or H1N1 among schoolchildren.

?If need be, the directors and officers can make hourly reports of the situation in schools so that measures can be initiated at the ministerial level.

?Right now, the situation is under control and there is no need to panic.?

SJKC Chung Hwa in Langkawi remains closed for five days from Monday while three others on the island, which were closed last week after a number of their students and teachers showed symptoms of ILI, have been reopened since Sunday.
A Kedah Health Department spokesman said the authorities were monitoring the situation in Langkawi and other parts of the state.



Wee said his ministry was working with the Health Ministry on the matter.



?With both ministries having had the experience in handling such outbreaks, the school authorities can put in place the guidelines issued to contain the situation.?

Education director-general Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom said all school heads must be on high alert and take measures to contain the spread of ILI or H1N1 among schoolchildren.

?The school heads are aware of what they should do and we will update them about instructions via circulars.?

The ministry?s schools division was monitoring the situation in schools and collecting information and data, he said.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/20100407074846/Article/