SWINE FLU WATCH BY SAUDI ARABIA

Undersecretary at the Ministry of Haj in Saudi Arabia Ali Balkhayr has said his ministry is carefully watching outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as swine flu, in various parts of the world. The ministry is collaborating with the Ministry of Health to stop the entry of any pilgrim carrying dangerous infections, Balkhayr said. According to Saad Al-Qurashi, head of the National Committee for Haj and Umrah, no case of swine flu has been detected among Umrah pilgrims since the virus originated in Mexico two months ago. “No pilgrim carrying infectious diseases is allowed to enter the Kingdom because the Saudi missions abroad insist on strict health precautions while issuing Umrah visas,” Al-Qurashi said. The first case of swine flu in the Kingdom was reported on June 3. A Filipino nurse at King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh was diagnosed with H1N1 infection about a week after she returned from vacation in the Philippines. The consul general added that the preparations for the increased flow of Umrah pilgrims in the months of Rajab (June-July) and Ramadan (August-September) would include awareness campaigns to pilgrims about the symptoms of swine flu and precautionary measures including wearing masks at crowded places and adherence to health regulations laid down by the Saudi authorities.