Malaysian authorities have ordered the closure of numerous schools across the country as a severe influenza outbreak rapidly spreads, infecting over 6,000 students and triggering a nearly seven-fold surge in identified disease clusters.
The nationwide closures aim to curb the spread of the virus among children and educational staff. The Ministry of Health reported a sharp increase in influenza clusters, rising to 97 in the past week from just 14 the week prior. Most of these new clusters have been identified in schools and childcare centers.
Mohd Azam Ahmad, Malaysia’s Director-General of Education, confirmed the approximately 6,000 student infections. He stated that the government is preparing a response, urging schools to re-adopt infection prevention measures previously used during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as mandatory mask-wearing and reducing large group activities.
The infections have been reported across multiple regions. Selangor accounts for the highest number of clusters with 43, followed by Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya with 15. Penang has reported 10 clusters, Johor 9, and Kedah 5.
Malaysia’s Health Minister indicated that discussions would be held with the Ministry of Education to establish additional control measures for educational institutions, prioritizing the safety of both students and staff. The initial announcement of these measures was made on October 13, 2025.