Thesun 2009-06-23 Page03 School Closed After 2nd Case

theSun

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| TUESDAY JUNE 23 2009

news without borders

School closed after 2nd case by Hemananthani Sivanandam [email protected]

SRK Assunta2 assistant head mistress Anant Kaur puts up a notice announcing the closure of the school.

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prevent the spread of the disease, which is easily transmitted. “We must adhere to the advice of the health authorities to ensure the matter does not get out of hand.” –Bernama

Najib concerned

Schools get directive

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak is concerned over the closure of two schools in the Klang Valley after two pupils were tested positive for Influenza A(H1N1). “I am concerned. Actually, I am very, very concerned and I hope measures announced by the deputy prime minister (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) will bear fruit,” he told reporters after delivering a keynote address at the 7th Heads of Mission Conference at Putrajaya International Convention Centre yesterday. “I hope all quarters will give their cooperation as these steps were taken to

KUALA LUMPUR: All schools in the country have been instructed to monitor students for symptoms of Influenza A(H1N1) and report them immediately to the nearest hospital or health centre. The directive from Director-General of Education Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom comes in the wake of two schools being closed for a week, and one class each in four schools shut down because of detected cases. “If any student or school staff is confirmed to have contracted the flu, then action must be taken in accord-

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KUALA LUMPUR: SRK Assunta 2 in Petaling Jaya has been ordered to close for one week from yesterday after an 11-year-old pupil was confirmed to have Influenza A(H1N1). The pupil became Malaysia’s 58th A(H1N1) case after she came in contact with the 43rd case in the same school but in a different class. To date, there are seven locally-transmitted cases, of which three are students. The 11-year-old is the seventh local transmission case. Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the closure of the school until Saturday is to curb the spread of the global A(H1N1) pandemic in Malaysia. SRK Assunta 2 is the second school to be closed following the A(H1N1) outbreak. The first – SRJK (C) Jalan Davidson – has been ordered to be closed until Friday. Speaking to reporters in the Parliament lobby yesterday, Liow urged children from the affected schools to impose self-quaran- contacts” together with other departments tine and good personal hygiene to ensure and ministries. “We don’t plan to close all schools unless the virus does not spread. “I recommend those students who come the virus continues to spread rampantly, back from countries like the US, Australia then we will discuss it with the Education and the Philippines to undergo self-quaran- Ministry and the National Security Council,” tine as most of the cases recently are from he said. Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr these countries,” he said. “The self-quarantine would prevent the Wee Ka Siong, who was present at the press conference, said his ministry has been spread.” receiving calls from concerned He also said individuals placed parents asking if they should under home quarantine need to send their children, who have be responsible. Those found returned from overseas, back not obeying the home quarto school. antine order may be fined He said it was up to the up to RM10,000, jailed for schools to make internal artwo years, or both, under the rangements with the parents Disease Control Act 1998. depending on the situation. “The Ministry of Health “Like the case of 30 stuhas been monitoring most dents from SMK Seksyen 9 of those placed under home -8 3 881 00/ Shah Alam, who returned from quarantine but it’s also the self02 overseas, the school authorities responsibility of these people (that thought the risk of the virus being is important),” Liow said. “They must have the sense of responsibil- spread to other students was high, so the school allowed them to be quarantined and ity to protect themselves and the country.” Asked if the ministry will instruct all not attend school,” he said. Similarly, other schools can make interschools to be closed to control the spread of the virus, he said it would not do so unless nal arrangements if deemed as a necessary measure to control the spread of the virus. the spread of the virus gets out of control. “We can’t give a blanket approval for all Liow urged the public not to panic as the ministry is “still able to trace most of the schools as then all the schools would take

advantage of the approval. Thus, it’s really up to the school authorities to do what is necessary,” he said. There has been an increase of eight cases, making it 58, since Sunday. They consist of five imported cases and three locally-transmitted cases. A statement from the MOH said all the eight cases are Malaysians. The imported cases are from Australia (two cases), United Kingdom (one) the Philippines (one) and Phuket (one).

Five students at SMK Seksyen 9 Shah Alam, all wearing face masks, discuss the latest situation in their school.

ance with the advice of the Health Department,” Alimuddin said in a statement. – Bernama

First case in Sarawak MIRI: A 23-year-old student from Swinburne University in Kuching became the first person to be confirmed positive for the H1N1 influenza in Sarawak, Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan said last night. He said the student had been placed in the Sarawak General Hospital’s isolation ward in Kuching since last Sunday after developing fever on his return from Melbourne last Friday, Bernama reports. He said there were 21 passengers who flew together with the student on flight MH2504 back to Kuching from Kuala Lumpur, after arriving from Melbourne on flight MH128.

Action committees formed in all Selangor districts by Tim Leonard [email protected]

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government is prepared to face an outbreak of Influenza A(H1N1), especially in schools, and has formed action committees in all districts to take precautionary measures. State executive councillor for health, plantation workers, poverty and caring government Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar said yesterday the action committees will be headed by the respective district officers and their main task is to work on ways to curb the spread of the virus. “We need to be extra cautious, especially in schools, as three schools in Selangor now have confirmed cases of the A(H1N1) virus,” he said after the state government’s monthly assembly at the State Secretariat building. “I have instructed all the district officers to meet with the school authorities and to work closely with the State Health Department officials and other authorities.” Jayakumar said the district officers and their action committees will have to provide constant updates on the situation. The latest school in Selangor with a confirmed case is SMK Damansara Utama. The other two schools are SRK Assunta 2 in Petaling Jaya and SM Seksyen 9 in Shah Alam. The lastest victim, a 14-year-old student, is the brother of a Year Five pupil at SRK Assunta 2, who was earlier confirmed with the virus. Jayakumar said all the classmates of the three students confirmed with the A(H1N1) virus have been placed under quarantine. So far, only students in the same class as the confirmed cases have been placed under quarantine. “If any students took the same bus or car to school with the affected students, then they must undergo selfquarantine in their homes for the next seven days,” he said. He said the state government will close down all the schools only if the situation warrants it. “We are not going to take any chances. If the situation warrants it, then we will close down the schools.” However, the government will not make it compulsory for the affected schools to conduct screening on the students. There are also no plans to conduct filtering exercises. The confirmed cases have been quarantined at Sungai Buloh Hospital and Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang.

High Court schedules July 8 for Anwar’s sodomy trial by S. Tamarai Chelvi [email protected]

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy case is scheduled to be heard in the High Court here on July 8. Anwar’s application to strike out the sodomy charge will be also be heard on the same day, and his ap-

plication to obtain several documents in connection with the case will be heard on July 1. High Court judge Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Diah postponed the trial yesterday after Anwar’s lawyer, Sulaiman Abdullah, informed the court the prosecution had filed an affidavit-in-reply for the application for documents. “In view of the nature of the ap-

plication, we need to file an affidavit in reply,” he said. Sulaiman said he will file it by Monday and the prosecution would be able to file its affidavit in reply, if necessary, before July 1. He asked for the application to strike out the charge, which was fixed for Friday, to be vacated and heard as a mention.

Sulaiman also told the court an appeal against the judge’s decision to transfer the case to the High Court has not been fixed by the Court of Appeal for a hearing. Solicitor-General II Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden said the prosecution needed time to file its reply to the application to strike out the charge. Anwar is charged with sodomising

Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, his former personal aide, at Desa Damansara Condominium on Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara, between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26 last year. In the application to strike out the charge, Anwar is seeking an order to acquit and discharge him. The sodomy trial was originally scheduled for July 1 to 24.