Screening for students entering varsities

NST: KUALA LUMPUR:Students registering at institutions of higher learning for this year's session will be screened for influenza A (H1N1) at campus entry points.
Universiti Putra Malaysia, which is receiving its new students this weekend, has issued a directive that students go to UPM's Dewan Besar for screening.
Head of UPM Health Centre Dr Yahya Abu Ahmad said previously students would check into the various colleges before registering themselves.
"However, this year, as a preventive measure against the H1N1, students will have to undergo screening before checking in."
Dr Yahya said of the 400 foreign students registering for this year's session, 150 who have arrived from last Monday, had undergone screening and all tested negative.
He said screening would also be carried out on the 2,500 existing foreign students who will be returning from July 5, after their semester break.
He said two academic staff who recently returned from Melbourne were referred to the Sungai Buloh Hospital but found to be H1N1 free.
Universiti Teknologi Mara has also set up screening facilities for the 15,783 diploma students and 14,684 degree students joining its campuses throughout the country.
A university spokesman said circulars had been sent out to all students and staff to get themselves screened before joining the new session.
H1N1 screening will also be carried out by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia on Sunday when it receives a total of 3,952 undergraduates, about five per cent of whom are foreign students.
The Monash University Sunway campus near here sent emails to students and staff advising them on how to avoid infection and not infect others.
The university's head of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Professor Datuk Dr Anuar Zaini Md Zain, said staff and students were advised to seek medical help if they had flu-like symptoms.