15 STUDENTS HAVE ‘KIM KIM SYMPTOMS’
The students from a Pasir Gudang school were exposed to gas fumes
THE Health Ministry does not discount the possibility that 15 students from Sekolah Agama Taman Mawar, Pasir Gudang, who experienced breathing difficulties and vomiting yesterday, are displaying similar symptoms to those affected by the chemical pollution of Sungai Kim Kim in March.
Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the ministry was monitoring the case and was seeking constant updates from the Johor Health director.
“Early information on the case
showed that the symptoms could possibly be a result of contamination from organic fumes, similar to the Sungai Kim Kim case,” he said here yesterday.
When asked if the ministry would issue a directive for the affected school to be closed, Dr Dzulkefly said it was too early to make such a decision.
“At this point, the situation is under control. Nevertheless, we will monitor the situation and obtain more information, including determining the cause of the pollution and its contamination levels.”
Earlier in Johor Baru, five students from Sekolah Agama Taman Mawar, Pasir Gudang were rushed to the emergency unit of Sultan Ismail Hospital after complaining of nausea and breathing difficulties from exposure to unknown gas fumes at 4pm yesterday.
Pasir Gudang Fire and Rescue station chief Ibrahim Omar said 15 students showed symptoms, including vomiting and breathing problems, at 3.39pm, and an Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) with three personnel were dispatched to the school.
He said after arriving at the location, the personnel confirmed the incident and sent five students to the hospital for treatment.
“A hazardous material (Hazmat) team and a Johor Baru EMRS unit went to the location to help the responding team and carry out a decontamination process,” he said.
Johor Health director Dr Selahuddeen Abd Aziz said five students were undergoing treatment at the hospital.
“We are carrying out checks based on the symptoms to identify the real cause of the problem,” he said.
It was understood that all five students are receiving treatment at the emergency unit and the medical team is on standby.
In March, 111 schools in the Pasir Gudang district had to be closed for two weeks following the chemical pollution of Sungai Kim Kim, which caused symptoms ranging from eye irritations, chest pains, vomiting to shortness of breath.
The schools were closed on March 13 after fumes from chemical waste illegally dumped into Sungai Kim Kim, caused breathing difficulties for almost 6,000 people.
The schools were reopened following a clean-up operation of the river, and test results that revealed low levels of pollution.