More colleges and schools closed due to H1N1

PETALING JAYA: More schools and institutions of higher learning have announced temporary closures after some of their students were confirmed to have contracted the influenza A (H1N1).

In Alor Setar, Kolej Universiti Insaniah (KUIN) will be closed for a week after 170 students, including five foreign ones, came down with an influenza-like illness.

The students were being quarantined at the KUIN campus in Mergong for a week from yesterday, said Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak.

He said the foreign students were from Cambodia and Somalia.

“There are about 3,000 students at the KUIN campus in Mergong and those not affected have been allowed to return home,” he said after chairing the state exco meeting yesterday.

He added that foreign students not down with the flu were allowed to stay in their hostels.

KUIN rector Datuk Dr Jamil Osman said all classes and student activities would resume on Aug 13.

In Johor, the Maktab Rendah Sains Mara in Muar has been closed for a week after three students were confirmed to have the H1N1 virus.

State Women, Family, Community Development and Health Committee chairman Dr Robia Kosai said some 700 students were sent home on Tuesday, and that the school would be closed until next Tuesday.

In Perak, state health chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said SJK(T) Arumugam Pillai in Alor Pongsu has been temporarily closed after 16 of the 26 pupils there came down with flu-like illnesses.

In George Town, the H1N1 outbreak has prevented SMK Datuk Haji Ahmad Badawi from taking part in the finals of the state-level Student Tourism Programme quiz competition. Their school was ordered to close for a week to curb the spread of the flu.

State Education Department co-curriculum unit chief Mohd Jamil Othman said the school was closed on Tuesday and its students, teachers and staff were required to place themselves under self-quarantine for seven days. When contacted state Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said another seven schools were closed, bringing the number to 36 to date.

Source: TheStar