A-G Ordered To Act Against Errant Kindies

KUCHING, March 10 (Bernama) -- The Sarawak Government has instructed the State Attorney-General to take action against kindergartens and similar institutions found to have defied the Health Ministry's order to close down in the wake of the hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) outbreak in the state.
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan said the relevant agencies have been asked to send their enforcement officers to the ground to monitor the situation as part of efforts to check the spread of the disease which had claimed five lives so far.
"It is no excuse for these institutions, especially the unregistered ones and operating illegally, because this is a serious situation. I feel it is a very irresponsible act on their part to defy the orders," he told a media conference on the daily HFMD updates.
On March 3, the Health Ministry ordered all 488 kindergartens, nurseries and day-care centres in Sarawak to be closed for two weeks as the number of HFMD cases increased since it was detected last month.
Dr Chan, who is also State Disaster Relief and Management Committee chairman, said institutions found to have not complied with the order are liable to a maximum jail term of two years and a fine of up to RM3,000 under the Public Health Ordinance.
However, the state authorities had yet to take action against errant kindergartens or nurseries so far.
He said the Sarawak Health Department would advise the State Education Department on the need to extend the closure of the kindergartens and affected primary schools should the situation worsens.
Since Thursday, 14 primary schools found to have two or more HFMD cases have been ordered to close.
During the two-week closure, Dr Chan urged kindergarten and nursery operators and school authorities to clean up their premises and disinfect their facilities and playgrounds.
He also urged parents, especially with young children, to reduce the risk of getting infected by avoiding crowded places, including shopping complexes, cinemas and swimming pools besides observing strict personal hygiene.
He said 251 new HFMD cases have been reported, bringing to 3,771 up to noon today.
Dr Chan said the seven-month-old baby girl reported to be critically ill yesterday had been discharged from the intensive care unit of the Sibu Hospital while the five-year-old boy from Mukah is still in the ward.
There are 72 children warded, with 34 new admissions up to noon today.
The death toll remained at five including two found to be EV71-positive, he said.
On regional collaboration to curb the HFMD spread, Dr Chan said the state government was prepared to assist its neighbours including Brunei which closed down all its primary schools and nurseries yesterday following one HFMD-related death.
The state government was ready to provide the relevant data and expertise, upon request, to its counterpart in Brunei and West Kalimantan while the Sabah Government could seek help from the ministry, he added.