PETALING JAYA: A private school has been forced to shut until next month after a group of students were believed to have suffered from food poisoning from the school canteen.
In a statement, Sri KDU Schools said that over the past few days, they have worked to break the chain of infection and support those who do not feel well.
"Whilst the situation has been difficult, especially for those who have been taken ill, we are very grateful for the support, advice and guidance that many in our community have contributed," it said in a statement on Friday (Oct 25).
Sri KDU Schools also said that the school’s catering service has been inspected by the health authorities.
"The inspectors reviewed the kitchen procedures and took samples for testing. We will continue to work with them to identify the source of infection and implement any recommendations to mitigate future occurrence if necessary," read the statement.
Sri KDU Schools also noted that it wanted to be clear and transparent about the matter as messages of the incident circulated on WhatsApp.
"The school identified and self-reported the matter to the education, health and police authorities.
"We will continue to work closely with them to address concerns, identify the source of the infections and put in place actions to address resultant concerns as soon as possible," it said.
The statement also noted that most students who received hospital treatment, mainly for dehydration, have been discharged and are recovering at home.
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"One child is receiving ongoing treatment and is making good progress to recovery,"
"There are no members of our community who are seriously ill at this time," it added.
The statement also pointed out that most cases involving its students have seen a recovery within 24 to 48 hours, without disclosing the exact figures involved.
"We advise that treatment focuses on hydration. Diagnostic tests that we have conducted on a sample of students and staff and those conducted on children treated at the hospital have confirmed the presence of norovirus.
"Close quarters, shared spaces, and high-touch surfaces make it easy for norovirus to spread in schools.
"Our infection controls, closure and deep cleaning should help to break the chain of infection," it clarified.
It also said that ongoing laboratory tests will help the school to locate the source of the infection and take action to address the situation.
"We would kindly request that all parents refrain from sharing unverified information or making
speculation online particularly in WhatsApp groups.
"This is distressing for many other parents who are concerned about the health of their children and irresponsibly causes confusion with regard to factual information that is being shared through official channels," it said.
The statement said that it expected to resume normal operations on Monday (Nov 4).
