Viral message on closure of SK Kepayan untrue
Published on: Friday, July 20, 2018
Kota Kinabalu: A viral message on social media alerting the public of the Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD), which caused SK Kepayan here to be ordered shut until July 29, is not true. State Education Director Datuk Maimunah Suhaibul on Thursday said there has been no directive from the Health Department so far.She said only the pre-school has been closed for a day, without elaborating the reason for its closure.
ADVERTISEMENT
The message claimed that the Health Ministry had ordered the school to shut from Thursday to July 29, following the detection of HFMD cases and one scabies case. It also cautioned parents to ensure their children are within safe areas to prevent the disease from spreading. Comments from the Health and People's Wellbeing Minister and Sabah Health Director were not immediately available as at press time. Several HFMD cases were reported in the State of late, with the latest being a preschool in the Kota Belud district which was ordered shut for 10 days after 18 of its pupils were found to have the disease.
ADVERTISEMENT
Apart from the 18, four primary school students in the same school were also infected by the disease.In June, it was reported that almost 1,000 cases of HFMD had been recorded in Sabah in the first half of 2018.
ADVERTISEMENT
SJK(C) Cheng Hwa in Papar was closed for two weeks after a district health office diagnosed several pupils with HFMD in June.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
