Global Arab Network | Saudi Arabia: No swine flu deaths among Umrah pilgrims during Ramadan

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Saudi Arabia: No swine flu deaths among Umrah pilgrims during Ramadan

Global Arab Network - - Maha Karim

Saturday, 19 September 2009 20:50

No swine flu deaths have been reported among Umrah (smaller pilgrimage) pilgrims during Ramadan to date, said Saudi Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabe'ah.

In a report the minister presented to King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) late Friday night, the minister said that the number of swine flu cases reported in Makkah stood at 218, among which only eight were pilgrims, while cases in Medinah came to 132, of which 17 were visitors of the holy city.

He noted that the comprehensive healthcare project had been successful in guaranteeing model health services.

British Hajj pilgrims need flu vaccines

British Muslims will need an injection against seasonal flu if they are travelling to Saudi Arabia for this year's Hajj pilgrimage, under new travel rules announced highlighted.

The Saudi government is requiring all pilgrims from Britain to provide a certificate of vaccination - which must be at least two weeks old - before they apply for a Hajj visa, officials said. They will also need to be vaccinated against H1N1 pandemic flu if a vaccine becomes universally available before the pilgrimage in November, amid fears over the global swine flu outbreak.

In addition, Saudi Arabia and the World Health Organisation are advising groups at high risk from flu - including patients with chronic diseases, pregnant women, children and the elderly - not to attend Hajj for their own safety.

In a statement, British Communities minister Shahid Malik said the measures had been introduced because of the risks associated with such a large concentration of people. "It is inevitable that at an event where two million people are expected to meet, viruses will spread quickly - and this year there is greater concern about flu, particularly for vulnerable people," he said. "It is therefore vitally important that all British Muslims planning to travel to the Hajj this year check the Foreign Office's travel advice and the new requirements set out by the Saudi government."

The Foreign Office is sending a Hajj delegation to Saudi Arabia, including doctors and consular staff, to provide medical and consular support to British pilgrims.
There are around 1.6 million Moslems in the UK, the majority from Pakistani and Indian origin.

Kuwait - Seventh fatality from Swine flu

Kuwait's Ministry of Health announced the seventh death caused by swine flu, of a man aged 70 years old, who suffered from diabetes, high-blood pressure, deficiencies in the coronary artery, as well as other heart problems.

Ministry of Health spokesperson Qais Al-Diwairi told KUNA that the fatality was a severe medical case, with many complications and high fever. Although he was treated with antibiotics, he did not respond to them and died.

The ministry expressed regret for the man's death and offered condolences to his family.

The recovery rate from swine flu cases in the country has reached 99 percent, and the percentage of cases and deaths registered in Kuwait regarding this disease is considered among the lowest internationally.

Doesn't kill

Director of Kuwait ‘s Public Health at the Ministry of Health Dr. Rashid Al-Owayish said, "Swine flu is curable disease that won't kill, but would affect people with permanent health problems." Al-Owayish clarified during a seminar held last night at the Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS), entitled "How do you protect yourself from Swine Flu", that the problem is that disease is contagious, and could be passed on from one person to the other without showing any symptoms at first, but it is far less dangerous than the regular flu.

He added, this disease targets the respiratory system through breathing and sneezing noting that the virus is weak and lives from 2-8 hours.

He explained, that swine flu symptoms are similar to the regular flu, adding to it severe diarrhea and vomiting, adding that elderly, pregnant women and those suffering low immunity and chronic diseases are more vulnerable to the disease.
Once infected with swine flu, patients should avoid human contact and commit to all health regulations and medications.

Al-Owayish said that the Ministry of Health has enough medication to cure this illness, but the vaccine is still being manufactured.

He added, specialized international companies are putting great efforts to manufacture an effective vaccine for this disease, and Kuwait will be one of the first countries to receive it.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Crisis and Emergency at the KRCS, Musaad Al-Anizi said that this seminar is aimed at training volunteers in cooperation with the Ministry of Health on protection against this disease, as they will tour schools and hold awareness classes for students.

New death reported in France

A new death from the A(H1N1) virus, also known as swine flu, was reported late Monday here and health officials warned that the virus should be reaching epidemic proportions in the coming days or weeks.

The latest fatality was that of a 26-year-old man who died in the University Hospital in the central city of Sainte Etienne, health officials said.
In this case, the deceased had "no other previous pathologies" and was in good health. About 40 percent of victims killed by the virus have been young adults in good health and the remainder generally had underlying health problems, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Four people have died in metropolitan France from swine flu but more than a dozen have died in French foreign territories in the Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.

Since the beginning of the month, several schools have closed classes because of outbreaks of the flu but health services are particularly bracing for an increase in cases as the weather cools later in September and the virus spreads more easily.

France has order 94 million vaccines for the virus but they may not all be available in time for the epidemic and distribution will be prioritized depending on need and vulnerability.

Global Arab Network

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