Education Ministry awaiting full report on boy's death from suspected HFMD

JOHOR BAHRU, July 29 (Bernama) -- The Education Ministry is still awaiting the full report on the death of a two-year boy in Mukah, Sarawak from suspected hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) yesterday, said Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching.

She said the ministry needed to ascertain if the incident stemmed from school or public areas.

"If two cases are confirmed in the same classroom, the classroom concerned will be closed for a period of 14 days in accordance with the Health Ministry's standard operating procedure (SOP).

"The closure of the school or classroom will depend on the Health Ministry's directive and at the same, teachers at the school are also asked to examine their pupils for HFMD symptoms and they will be brought immediately to the nearest clinic," she told reporters after officiating at the 105th anniversary celebration of  Foon Yew schools here today.

The case in Mukah is believed to be the first such fatality reported in the HFMD outbreak so far this year.

Meanwhile, she advised parents in Johor, especially in the capital city, who sent their children to schools in Singapore to take precautionary measures to avoid the risk of contracting HFMD as set by the Health Ministry.

She said the measures included avoiding bringing their children to high risk public places such as shopping malls and play grounds.

Teo, who is also Kulai MP, said her ministry would give aid priority to the most critically dilapidated schools as soon as possible.

She said about 3,000 out of the 10,000 schools nationwide were categorised as in a dilapidated state and needed big allocations  to  upgrade their infrastructure and facilities.

-- BERNAMA