Penan kids hit by HFM

Star: KUCHING: Eight Penan children from the remote Long Singgu settlement in the Belaga district in the upper Rejang basin have contracted the hand, foot and mouth (HFM) disease.
They were airlifted by helicopter to the Bintulu hospital yesterday, said Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan.
“All of them are in a stable condition,” he added.
He said 107 new cases were reported and there were 45 new admissions yesterday.
Dr Chan said the drop in the number of new cases might be due to government clinics being closed during the weekends.
Fourteen new cases were reported in northern Sarawak's Limbang division. However, only one of the 14 children was admitted to hospital.
Dr Chan said there were 23 new cases in Sarikei division and that all the infected children were warded.
This brings the total to 94 children warded statewide, including 36 in Sarikei hospital.
Dr Chan said the total number of HFM cases had now risen to 6,718. Sibu division tops the list with 2,062 cases, followed by Miri (989), Bintulu (858), Kuching (804), Sarikei (626) and Mukah (562).
Year One to Three pupils in all the 1,265 primary schools statewide will return to school today after an extended first term holiday.
The state health authorities ordered more than 40 primary schools closed last week.
All kindergartens, pre-schools, childcare centres and nurseries will remain closed for another week.