SEREMBAN: Parents who have children staying in hostels and will be sitting for the SPM examination soon should adhere to advice from the Education Ministry not to take them home during the Chinese New Year holidays, says Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun.

       The Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar said this was important so that the students were safe and able to sit for the examination to be held in March as well as to keep the number of Covid-19 cases in check.

       "Of the 16 clusters in Negri Sembilan, 11 are education clusters.

       "Our cases have been going up and if we are not cautious, then we may have more problems later," he told reporters after chairing the state special security working committee meeting on Covid-19 here.

       He said 743 students in the state have tested positive for the virus this year.

       These include those in nine of the 61 residential and partially-residential schools.

       Aminuddin said parents should also adhere to another directive from the ministry that students in normal schools who were categorised as close contacts remained quarantined in school till they were free to go home.

       He said the meeting also decided if there were new educational clusters in normal schools, the affected students would be sent to a Quarantine and Treatment Centre (PKRC) in Bandar Enstek.

       The state's only PKRC now is located in Tampin.

       "The cases are increasing but under control. We have to take additional precautionary measures from now," he said.

       Aminuddin said the number of cases in the state has also been on the increase in recent days with 393 registered on Thursday (Jan 27) and 311 the day before.

       The bulk of the cases were however in Categories 1 and 2.