Influenza outbreak in Malaysia, schools shut for a week

Thousands of Malaysian students have been ordered to stay home for up to a week as authorities shut down schools across the country amid a sharp rise in influenza infections.

According to a South China Morning Post report, citing the Education Ministry, nearly 100 clusters of influenza A and B have been reported, prompting precautionary closures just weeks before the national Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination — a critical school-leaving test taken by around 400,000 students.

Education Ministry Director-General Mohd Azam Ahmad told SCMP said the decision was made following advice from district health officials.

“Several schools have been instructed to close to contain the spread of the virus,” he said, adding that approximately 6,000 students are affected by the closures so far.

The ministry has not announced when it will review school closures or allow students to return to class, as nearly 100 influenza clusters continue to spread across the country. Health authorities currently recommend a five to seven-day self-quarantine for those infected.

Education Ministry Director-General Mohd Azam Ahmad said schools across Malaysia have been instructed to implement strict preventive and control measures to curb the outbreak.

“We have reminded schools to follow these guidelines, encouraging the use of face masks and reducing large group activities among students,” SCMP quoted Mohd Azam as saying to national news agency Bernama.

The health ministry last Thursday released statistics showing rising numbers of influenza clusters in all 14 states and federal territories, with Selangor reporting the highest number of cases.

The current influenza wave is among the most widespread viral outbreaks Malaysia has faced since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago.

Despite the disruption, Mohd Azam expressed confidence in the ministry’s preparedness, noting that officials had gained “extensive experience” managing infectious diseases during the pandemic.

“We have asked the examination board to be ready for these challenges as the SPM begins soon,” he said, referring to the national school-leaving exam scheduled to start on November 3. However, he did not elaborate on whether contingency plans were in place for affected students.

With inputs from agencies