JOHOR BARU: No directive has been issued to close the five schools linked to the Tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in Kota Tinggi, says state education and information committee chairman Aznan Tamin (pic).
He said students from the three primary and two secondary schools involved had been fully screened by the Health Ministry.
“Any decision related to school closures falls solely under the jurisdiction of the district health office and, so far, there has been no directive to close the schools.
“Students in the affected schools have been fully screened, and the district health office has also conducted engagement sessions with the schools.
“Sanitation and thorough cleaning have also been carried out in areas identified as high-risk as an early preventive step,” he said in a statement here on Saturday (Feb 7).
He added that the district health office will also arrange for medical officers to visit affected schools to provide further briefings on TB, including preventive measures that should be observed by the school community.
“All schools are reminded to continuously comply with the Health Ministry’s directives and guidelines, and to refrain from spreading unverified information that could cause public anxiety,” he said.
On Feb 5, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad confirmed a TB cluster in Pengerang, Kota Tinggi, with 33 positive cases detected after screening 804 close contacts.
Aznan had previously confirmed that six students were among the 33 positive cases, and that no directive had been issued to close any schools as the situation remained under control.
TB is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is transmitted through the air to nearby close contacts.
Symptoms include a persistent cough, significant weight loss, loss of appetite, night sweats and coughing up blood.
TB is preventable and fully curable through effective treatment, with a minimum treatment period of six months.
