6,000 Students In Malaysia Infected With Influenza, Schools Temporarily Closed

Illustration of fever and influenza. (Freepic)

JAKARTA Around 6,000 students in Malaysia were reported to be infected with influenza. This makes several schools have to be temporarily closed in order to maintain the safety of students and teaching staff. This was conveyed by an official from the Malaysian Ministry of Education.

Director General of Education, Mohd Azam Ahmad explained that the school has experience in dealing with infectious diseases thanks to experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We've had extensive experience dealing with infectious diseases since the COVID-19 pandemic," Mohd Azam said in a video statement broadcast by local media on Monday, October 13, quoted from the Reuters website.

"We have reminded schools to follow applicable guidelines, such as encouraging the use of masks and reducing activities involving many students," he added.

Although Mohd Azam did not mention the exact number of schools that were closed, he confirmed cases of infection were detected in various regions in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Malaysia's Ministry of Health reported that in the previous week there were 97 influenza clusters across the country, a sharp increase from 14 clusters in the previous week.

Most of these cases were found in schools and kindergartens. This spike in influenza cases raises concerns among parents and the school, especially because of its easily transmitted symptoms in dense environments such as classrooms.

The government urges the public to remain vigilant, maintain personal hygiene, and immediately get medical treatment if they experience symptoms such as fever, cough, or sore throat.