Influenza-like-illness cases in Malaysia under control - Khairy

REMBAU: Cases of influenza-like-illness (ILI) in the country are currently under control despite several clusters involving boarding schools being detected, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

He said the public, especially parents, did not have to worry it was only a common infection and would emerge from time to time, apart from patients only needing monitoring and isolation.

"Cases of influenza will increase from time to time because the Movement Control Order has been lifted. As we are reducing public health measures such as physical distancing and so on, for sure infectious diseases are increasing.

"Perhaps, for the past two years, the number of cases of the disease has decreased because we were confined at home and followed certain public health measures, but whatever it is, it is still under control and there is nothing to worry about," he told reporters after attending the PeKa B40 health screening programme here today.

He said as such, there was no need to close schools at this time and the district health offices would always make a risk assessment on cases.

Khairy also explained that in the event that number of cases (of the disease) is at an alarming level after the assessment is made, then certain measures will be implemented as soon as possible.

"However, cases such as influenza are common and seasonal that come and go, so there is no need to worry too much," he said.

Yesterday, the media reported that the Selangor Health Department had detected an increase in cases of infections such as ILI in educational institutions, especially boarding schools over the past two weeks.

-- BERNAMA