A CHINESE-language elementary school in Malaysia has been ordered shut after an 11-year-old girl infected two classmates with the H1N1 flu virus.

It is the first school in Malaysia to be shut down by the virus.

Two other schools with infected students, in Petaling Jaya and Shah Alam, would be closed only if authorities discover a local transmission of the virus.

About 70 pupils from two classrooms in those schools have been home quarantined.

Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai told The Star that the Jalan Davidson Chinese School in Kuala Lumpur would be closed until 26 Jun.

Its staff and students - numbering 2,100 in all - now face home quarantine.

Mr Liow said: 'It is our opinion that we should close the school. As long as there is even one case of local transmission, we must close the school.'

He told The Sun newspaper: 'The closure is vital to prevent the virus from spreading further amongst students, teachers and other staff of the school.'

He added that the school management has given its full support to the government to work towards preventing the spread of the influenza.

'It is good that the school has also taken its own precautionary measures by giving out pamphlets and notices to pupils on action plans for the school during the school closure period,' Mr Liow said.

Returned from Australia

The infected girl had tested positive for the virus after returning from a family holiday in Melbourne, Australia.

She had unknowingly infected two classmates before being diagnosed with the virus.

Mr Liow reminded the public, especially parents of the pupils who are home quarantined, not to blame those who are infected as they did not spread the virus deliberately.

'I urge the public, especially students who have returned from infected countries, to cooperate with the government and... keep to hygiene practices,' said Mr Liow.

'All those home quarantined must not leave home and avoid meeting or communicating with the public. They are also advised to minimise contact with family members not under home quarantine,' he added.

He said the quarantined pupils are not allowed to attend tuition classes, public gatherings or functions. Public places are also out of bounds.

In addition, the pupils should also keep to basic hygiene practices like covering their mouths with tissue while coughing or sneezing and washing hands with water and soap.

Eight new cases of H1N1 flu were reported in Malaysia yesterday, bringing the total number to 50, said AFP.

Last week, Malaysian health authorities reported the country's first local transmission of the H1N1 virus after a 17-year-old girl who had no travel history caught the flu from another patient who had tested positive a week earlier.

This article was first published in The New Paper.