Gerakan Youth has called on the government to set up Community Service Centres in high-risk risk areas such as schools and National Service camps to facilitate prevention and treatment for influenza A (H1N1).

Youth Secretary-General Dr Dominic Lau said the centres could be manned by medical staff who would be able to carry out quickly and effectively disinfection, isolation measures and monitoring.

He believed there was a need for close coordination between health care workers and patients to comply with instructions from the authorities during the quarantine period, including paying regular home visits to patients or making telephone calls.

He said having the community service centres would also encourage participation of all sectors of society to promote good public health.

Lau was commenting on the emergence in Malaysia of community-acquired H1N1.

He also urged member countries of World Health Organization to take strict measures to prevent the cross-border spread of H1N1, including strengthening their quarantine measures and stopping those suspected of contracting the disease from leaving their own country.

It was reported yesterday that three national service (NS) training camps in the country had been ordered to close by state health departments due to signs of H1N1 infection.

An NS statement said that the affected camps were Tangkas Kendiri in Kuala Kangsar, Perak, Lagenda Gunung Ledang in Asahan, Malacca and Merang Suria in Setiu, Terengganu.

According to Deputy Education Ministery Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong, more than 10 schools in Johor Baru have been closed so far and more than 100 students confirmed to have the flu.