IPT Urged To Take Precautions To Curb Spread Influenza - Zambry
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) reminds all higher education institutions (IPT) to take the necessary steps to prevent any possible spread of influenza among students.
Its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said that although so far his party has not received any information about the spread of the disease in IPT, the ministry is not taking the matter lightly and is closely monitoring its development.
This follows the latest report stating that several schools in several states have been ordered to temporarily close by their respective District Health Offices (PKD) in addition to 6,000 school students under the Ministry of Education (MOE) being reported to have been infected with the disease so far.
"As we are aware, this disease may involve schools, but we are also not taking the matter lightly," he said.
He told reporters after officiating the closing ceremony of the International Young Future Leaders Summit (iFUTURE) 2025 at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) today which was also attended by his deputy, Datuk Mustapha Sakmud.
Last Thursday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced that 97 clusters of influenza A and B infections were reported in Epidemiology Week (ME) 40/2025, compared to 14 clusters the previous week, with the majority involving educational institutions.
According to the MOH, all states recorded an increase, with the five highest states being Selangor (43 clusters), Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (15), Penang (10), Johor (9), and Kedah (5), with most cases showing mild symptoms.
Meanwhile, commenting on the iFUTURE programme, he said such an approach was the MOH's effort in building leadership values among students at universities, in addition to the opportunity to interact in an international context with fellow students from 50 countries.
"So they can interact during these three days, get to know each other. This is the real approach that will have a big impact in the long term because one day these people will also be leaders in their respective countries and imagine how Malaysia can play that role," he said.
-- BERNAMA
