HFDM: Six More Primary Schools Closed, Says George Chan

MIRI, March 8 (Bernama) -- In the wake of the hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) spreading across Sarawak, six more primary schools were ordered closed Wednesday for two weeks, bringing the number of schools shut down to eight.
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan said the State Health Department Wednesday instructed the closure of three primary schools in Mukah, one each in Miri, Lawas and Marudi.
The schools are SKJ San San and SK Klid/Pelajau, both in Dalat; SK Kampung Seberang in Mukah; SK Pusat in Lawas; SK Chung Hua No 3 Padungan and SR Lodge Tabuan, both in Kuching; SK Tudan in Miri and SK Good Shepherd in Marudi.
Tuesday, the Chung Hua primary school No. 3 and Lodge primary school, both in Kuching, were asked to shut down.
"Today, we issued closure orders to another six primary schools. This is done to cut off the transmission of the HFMD infection," he told Bernama.
Chan, who is also State Disaster Relief Committee chairman, said the State Health Department held a meeting with the State Education Department on Monday to discuss the possibility to close down schools if there were two cases reported.
It was the Health Ministry's policy that any school with two infections in seven days will be ordered to shut down automatically for two weeks.
Last Friday, the Health Ministry ordered the closure of 488 kindergartens, nurseries and day-care centres in Sarawak with immediate effect for two weeks to contain the HFMD epidemic in the state.
The current outbreak was first detected in Sibu followed by Kuching, Bintulu and Miri.
Dr Chan said 182 new suspected cases have been recorded, bringing the number of cases to 3,269 as of this afternoon, with four fatalities.
"Kuching recorded the highest number of cases with 59, followed by Sibu (31), Bintulu (22) and Mukah (21)," he said, adding that the rest of the cases were reported in Sarikei, Lawas and Marudi.
Dr Chan advised parents to keep their young children, especially those below five, away from crowded public places to contain the spread of HFMD. "The whole idea of the closure of kindergartens, nurseries, day-care centres and affected primary schools is to cut off the transmission of the HFMD effectively.
"Parents should not bring their children for shopping or to the cinema. This will transmit the disease very fast.
"Actually, cleanliness is the most important, particularly self-hygiene like washing the hands after visiting the toilet, and ensuring cleanliness of children as this disease attacks children aged below 10," he said when asked on parents bringing their children around the city due to the closure of kindergartens and nurseries.