KOTA BARU: A total of 464 people comprising teachers, schoolchildren and school staff in Kelantan have been tested positive for Covid-19.
Kelantan Health director Datuk Dr Zaini Hussin said they were detected in a series of screening tests conducted between April 3 and 16.
He said the group was from various primary and secondary schools in the state.
“The 464 were from schools located in the 10 districts in Kelantan with 189 of them from Kota Baru, Tumpat (113), Tanah Merah (55) while the remaining were from seven other districts.
“56 per cent of the 464 were from secondary schools and aged seven and above,” he said in a statement.
Dr Zaini said the department believed the Covid-19 infection spread rapidly at schools due to few factors.
“Based on our studies, the pandemic can easily spread in schools from the hostels and also because failure to follow the standard operating procedures (SOP) properly,” he added.
On the current situation in the state, Dr Zaini said the department projected Covid-19 cases to reach between 200 and 300 cases daily this week.
“This is based on the increase of new clusters recorded of late as well as the increase in cases at schools and workplaces,” he added.
On the second phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP), Dr Zaini said the state-level programme would start on Thursday.
He said the department is expected to open three community vaccination centres (PPV) in Pasir Mas, Pasir Puteh and Kota Baru.
Seven of the 10 districts in Kelantan were placed under Movement Control Order (MCO) recently following a spike in Covid-19 cases.
Following this, all schools under the seven districts were ordered to close beginning last Sunday until April 24.-NST