GEORGE TOWN: Hundreds of students from several primary and secondary schools in the southwest district were screened today after their respective classes reported at least one positive Covid-19 case recently.
It is learnt that the students may have contracted the virus from their parents, who are working in factories in Bayan Lepas, which reported active cases.
Among them were students from SMK Sungai Ara, SMK Teluk Kumbar and SK Mutiara Perdana.
Several students, met by the New Straits Times, said they were contacted by their schools yesterday to have their swab tests done this morning.
They were assigned dedicated time slots to be present at SMK Raja Tun Uda for their swab tests.
However, many came with their parents, as early as 8.30am.
Besides the students, teachers were also screened.
A teacher, who declined to be named, said not every student from the class (where the positive case was reported) would be screened.
She said only those who attended school in the final week before the school closure were asked to screen, including teachers who taught in these classes.
Self-employed Satar Md Isa, 57, said he was shocked when told by his daughter, a Form Three student of SMK Teluk Kumbar, that she needed to undergo a swab test.
"Which parent will not be worried with so many Covid-19 cases reported in the state in recent weeks.
"I just hope everything goes well and my daughter is tested negative. After all, she had not displayed any symptoms since.
"At least with this swab test, we can be at ease once the result is obtained," he said while waiting for his daughter outside the school.
Satar said since the directive came from the Health Ministry, they had to abide by it.
"By right, they should have done the screening earlier," he added.
His daughter also expressed her shock when she received a call from the school yesterday, asking her to come for the swab test this morning.
"I initially thought I was infected. I was so scared. It finally sank in.
"I then told my father about it and he too was shocked," she said, adding that there were 31 students in her class.
Another Form Three student at SMK Sungai Ara said he found out last week that a classmate tested positive for Covid-19.
"It is good that they called us in for testing. I am a little worried," he said, adding that the health workers interviewed him before conducting the swab test.
"They also gave me a letter, telling me not to leave the house until Dec 1. They also said they would contact me with the results," he said.
For another Form Three student, he said he only learned that a female classmate tested positive for Covid-19 today.
He said his teachers also advised him and the other students not to worry.