PARENTS have been advised not to worry about sending their children to school following an increase in the number of cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in the state as the situation is under control. 

Perak Education, Higher Education and Human Resource Committee chairman Ahmad Saidi Mohamad Daud said the state government through the Education Department (JPN) and Health Department (JKN) would continue collaborating to ensure that children are safe and protected from diseases. 

“At our exco meeting with the menteri besar, the state government is constantly emphasising the health of children irrespective of whether they are outside or inside the school grounds. We take note of what happened in Malacca following the outbreak of HFMD at both the early education and secondary school levels. 

“The situation is so far under control where the state government and JPN had engaged with JKN in continuing to monitor and ensure that the school environment is always safe,” he said when met at a Hari Raya Aidilfitri do at the Perak Environment Department today. 

According to Saidi, the state government had already informed schools to constantly monitor the situation and to report immediately if there were any HFMD-related symptoms detected among children.

“I have instructed the headmasters, principals and operators at every level of education to inform the JPN and JKN if there are children showing early symptoms like ulcer or inflammation in the mouth. Screen as early as possible to curb the spread of HFMD,” he said.

On Friday, 42 kindergartens in the state were ordered to close under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988, with the Kinta district registering the highest number of cases at 20 followed by Perak Tengah with six. – Bernama, May 25, 2022.