PASIR GUDANG — As classes here resumed on Sunday (June 30), some 130 students from 15 schools experienced breathing difficulties, nausea and vomiting, similar to the incident 10 days ago which involved 18 schools in the district, caused by pollution.

Sunday’s incident also saw three teachers including Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Kopok's headmistress being affected.

A total of 23 pupils from SK Kopok were among the 130 who fell sick just hours after the morning school session began. However, only 30 were sent for further health screenings at the Masai and Pasir Gudang health clinics.

The other students who showed less severe reaction to the pollution or allergy were given first aid and allowed to go home.

Classes continued as usual for the other students, including some 46 special needs students at SK Kopok and other schools in the district.

A teacher from SK Kopok Pasir Gudang was rushed to nearby clinic. Photo: New Straits Times

State Health, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Mohd Khuzzan Abu Bakar said 130 from 15 schools had experienced breathing difficulties, nausea and vomiting.

"Most of them experienced mild symptoms and were given the necessary treatment by the medical team which has been on standby since morning. Only 30 people including two teachers and the headmistress of SK Kopok were referred to the health clinic for further observation," he said.

Among the students affected were those from SK Pasir Putih, SMK Tanjung Puteri Resort 2, SMK Nusa Damai and SK Kopok.

Students of SK Pasir Gudang 4 seen wearing masks during the start of the school session. Photo: New Straits Times

Mr Khuzzan who was speaking to reporters after paying a visit to SK Kopok said there will be no school closure. Instead schools will remain open as usual but will come under close supervision of the medical team which was on standby.

"Classes can go on as usual and medical team on standby can assist by providing medical help on a case to case basis, taking into account the symptoms and severity," he said.

Mr Khuzzan reiterated that it was important for authorities to find and stop the source of the chemical emissions.

"What we need now is to find the source of the pollutant. That is utmost importance," he said.

Meanwhile, a source from the Department of Environment said based on the air pollutant device reading, some contaminants were detected at all 15 schools.

"The only difference is that some schools had Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) reading up to 4 as the highest and the lowest VOC reading recorded was 0.5.

"SK Scientex recorded the highest VOC of 4."

He said in SK Kopok they detected several different readings of contaminants.

"When we tested the air for pollutant on the fourth floor, the VOC reading registered 3 but when the device was used to record the contaminant on the ground floor,it dropped to 0.5,” the source said.

He however said he was not able to identify the chemical gas in the air as the device was not designed to identify the type of pollutant. It can only show the presence of abnormality and the amount which was present in the air.

Students from 111 schools in and around Pasir Gudang had returned to their classrooms today. Authorities had closed the educational institutions after about 100 students from 18 schools experienced breathing problems on June 20.

The air pollution was alleged to be from factories operating in the Pasir Gudang area. At least 10 people were admitted and more than 700 sought treatment in the nearby hospital.

The air pollution investigation conducted by authorities later showed the presence of methanethiol, Acrylonitrile and Acrolein. NEW STRAITS TIMES