GEORGE TOWN: The number of students infected with influenza in the state continued to rise, with a total 142 from 70 schools reportedly infected as of 8.30am today, an increase from 99 cases on Sunday.
Penang Education Department director Abdul Rashid Abdul Samad said of the total, the Seberang Prai Utara district recorded the highest number of cases with 47 students from 16 schools.
This was followed by 31 cases in the Seberang Prai Tengah district from 18 schools, and 29 students from 20 schools in the northeast district.
Meanwhile, Seberang Prai Selatan recorded 28 cases from 10 schools, and seven students from six schools were infected in the southwest district.
"So far, only nine students were warded. Also, no schools have been closed, and only two classes at a Chinese school were closed as reported earlier," he said.
Meanwhile, four teachers were also reportedly infected with influenza, with three of them from the northeast district and one from the Seberang Prai Utara district.
At the moment, the state Health Department is monitoring influenza cases by using the influenza-like illnesses (ILI) proxy indicator that was recorded from the selected sentinel clinics in the state.