IPOH, Aug 4 — A total of 45 pupils in several districts in Perak including Kinta Utara, Kinta Selatan, Larut, Matang and Selama, Muallim and Kerian have been infected with the hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).

State Education, Higher Education, Youth and Sports Committee Chairman Khairudin Abu Hanipah said as a precaution, the District Health Offices have ordered the closure of some preschool and primary school classes for 10 days.

"Those involved have been issued with quarantine leave to prevent the disease from spreading,” he told reporters after launching the Perak Book Fair 2023 organised by the Perak State Public Library Corporation at a shopping mall here today.

He said the spread of HFMD in the state has not reached a concerning level, adding that the relevant parties have taken appropriate control measures.

In another development, Khairudin said the State Education Department was still waiting for the results of the police investigation before taking action against a secondary school student in Gunung Rapat who was allegedly involved in a bullying case last month.

He said currently, the boy and the victim were allowed to go to school as usual.

"The school has also adopted certain SOPs to prevent the bullying incident from happening again,” he said.

On July 26, Khairudin said a Form Three male student was injured during the alleged bullying by a 17-year-old student of the same school.

Ipoh district police chief ACP Yahaya Hassan said that the police had received a report from the victim’s mother on July 24, and the case was being investigated under Section 323 of the Penal Code. — Bernama