Zika: Schools asked to form monitoring teams

The Education Ministry wants district education offices, principals, headmasters and Parents-Teacher Associations to form teams in every school to monitor and take prevention measures against Zika virus infection.

Its minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the formation of the teams was needed as a proactive measure to monitor the health of teachers and students, besides ensuring cleanliness of schools.

"Parents also need to refer their children immediately to the nearest health clinic or hospital if they show symptoms of Zika virus infection," he told reporters after opening Penampang UMNO' divisional delegates meeting, here, Sunday.

Also present was Penampang UMNO chief Datuk John Ambrose.

In another development, Mahdzir said the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) examination which began last Thursday would continue according to the set schedule and that the ministry would take precautionary measures to ensure everything was in order in the wake of Zika cases in the country.

Malaysia recorded its first case of Zika virus infection on Thursday when a woman in Klang, Selangor tested positive for the disease a week after her return from Singapore on Aug 21.

On Saturday, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam confirmed that a male patient from Sabah, the first locally transmitted case of Zika virus infection in the country, died due to complications from his underlying heart condition.