Thousands Of Students Infected With Influenza, Several Schools In Malaysia Closed

Illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Pete)

JAKARTA - About 6,000 students in Malaysia have been infected with influenza and several schools have been closed for the safety of children and staff, a Ministry of Education official said.

"We already have extensive experience dealing with infectious diseases due to the COVID-19 pandemic," said Director-General Mohd Azam Ahmad on Monday, according to a video of his speech posted by local news broadcasters.

However, he did not specify how many schools were closed, but said infections were detected in some areas of the country.

Quoted from The Economic Times, he added that schools have been reminded to follow preventive guidelines, including advocating the use of face masks and avoiding large group activities.

Last week, the Ministry of Health reported 97 influenza clusters across the country, up from 14 clusters the previous week, with most reported in schools and kindergartens.