Tuesday, 25 August 2020

OUTBREAK AT KEDAH SCHOOL: ADMINISTRATORS REMINDED TO ADHERE TO SOPs


Health DG Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah addresses the media over the latest Covid-19 cases, during a press conference in Putrajaya. -BERNAMA pic
Health DG Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah addresses the media over the latest Covid-19 cases, during a press conference in Putrajaya.

PUTRAJAYA: School administrations are reminded to adhere to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) set by the Health Ministry and the National Security Council (NSC) to prevent Covid-19 infection among students and staff.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the SOPs cover pre-, ongoing and post-school sessions.

"Parents also play an important role in reminding and educating their children about taking preventive measures against Covid-19 in the school bus, classroom and during sports activities or co-curriculum," he said in a daily press conference on Covid-19, today.

Dr Noor Hisham was speaking following today's announcement that five primary school pupils in Kedah tested positive for Covid-19.

The children, who are linked to the Tawar cluster, were identified through active case detection and close contact screening. It was revealed that the children are close contacts of Case 9,197 – a pre-schooler at the same school.

Dr Noor Hisham said that the school has since been ordered to close.

"There is a possibility that one of the patients was infected by their parent, and later spread the virus to schoolmates. Nevertheless, the investigation is still ongoing."

He said of the nine local transmissions reported today, seven (including five from the Tawar cluster) were reported in Kedah.

One case was a pre-operation patient at Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital who was later transferred to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital; one was a symptomatic case detected through screening; one was an asymptomatic case registered in Selangor (Person Under Investigation) who was admitted to the Sungai Buloh Hospital; and one in Perlis – a patient with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) at Tuanku Fauziah Hospital.

Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said that as of noon today, 3,547 people in the Tawar cluster have been screened. From the tests, 59 positive cases were detected, while 2,717 were negative and 242 are awaiting results.

"In Penang, 518 people were screened, with 11 positive cases detected and 507 turned out negative; (while) 11 people were screened in Perak, and all of them were negative.

"Close contact screening and activities on the ground will be continued.

"An update on the situation of this cluster and others will be provided from time to time," he added.



NEW STRAITS TIMES ONLINE

No comments:

Post a Comment