PUTRAJAYA, 26 June 2009: Two classes of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Abdul Rahim 2, Kudat in Sabah were ordered to close temporarily from yesterday following the detection of an Influenza A(H1N1) case, Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said.
The closure involved 125 students and teachers, who are now placed under house quarantine.
Ismail said the infection was detected in a 24-year-old teacher who went on a 17-day vacation in Istanbul and returned to Malaysia on 18 June. The teacher returned to the school on 22 June, and only developed the flu symptoms the day after. He was sent for treatment at Kudat Hospital, where he was referred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu.
Ismail said the teacher’s family members had been placed under house quarantine.
There were 14 new Influenza A(H1N1) cases detected nationwide from yesterday until 8am today, including the one involving the teacher.
Of the total, 13 were imported cases and one local transmission. This brings the total Influenza A(H1N1) cases in the country to 105, comprising 90 imported and 15 local transmission. No deaths have been reported so far.
Ismail said of the 14 news cases, 10 were Malaysians, three Australians, and one Philippine citizen.
Of the 13 imported cases, five involved those who visited Melbourne, London (three), Phuket (two), Manila (one), Istanbul (one) and Singapore (one). The local transmission involved a Malaysian.
The number of schools closed due to the disease remained at four, involving 2,300 students, teachers and staff members, he said. — Bernama
