Cairo, NU Online
Egypt on Tuesday, July 21, joined other countries in advising some of its citizens to avoid `Umrah and hajj trips to the holy sites in Saudi Arabia this year for fear of contracting the swine flu.
"The elderly, pregnant women, children and those suffering chronic illness should consider delaying `Umrah and hajj so that they are not exposed to the risks of swine flu," Health Ministry official Amr Qandil was quoted as saying by the official MENA news agency.<>
Egypt announced on Sunday, July 19, its first swine flu fatality.
Authorities said a 25-year-old woman returning from `Umrah died on Saturday, July 18, in hospital of swine flu. The woman’s family questioned the government's version and insisted that the woman had a history of heart and other health problems.
The swine flu (H1N1), a mixture of various swine, bird and human viruses, first emerged in Mexico in April.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says the virus is moving around the globe at "unprecedented speed," with more than 700 people killed since the outbreak began.
The Iranian Health Ministry has recommended that the elderly and children avoid traveling to Saudi Arabia after the number of swine flu cases rose to 16, including twelve returning from Saudi Arabia after `Umrah.
Minister of Health Kamran Bagheri Lankarani admitted that some age restrictions have been put on pilgrims wanting to travel to Saudi Arabia for the time being.
On Monday, July 6, the Gulf country of Oman issued a warning to elders and pregnant women against traveling to the holy sites in Saudi Arabia because of the swine flu threat.
Tunisia earlier this month suspended `Umrah because of the virus, while reserving judgment on whether hajj should be undertaken.
Saudi Arabia itself has in June warned elderly Muslims and pregnant women against undertaking hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, because of the threat of swine flu.
More than two million Muslims perform hajj, an obligation for all able-bodied, financially capable Muslims at least once in a lifetime, every year.
Hajj precautions
Health officials from the 22 Arab countries will attend an emergency meeting in Cairo on Wednesday, July 22, to coordinate arrangements and precautions to be taken during hajj. "With hajj being the largest human gathering, one can imagine how rapidly the H1N1 virus could spread," Qatar’s Public Health Department Director Dr Mohamed al-Thani told Gulf Times on Tuesday.
He stressed that the emergency meeting, organized by the Cairo-based WHO Regional Office, will be an important one for all Arab countries.
"During the meeting, we will pinpoint the high-risk groups and assist Saudi Arabia by putting together guidelines for dealing with them."
The Saudi delegation will present 15 recommendations on measures to halt swine flu spread during the hajj season in November.
Quarantine facilities have already been set up at Saudi airports to facilitate the isolation of any pilgrims suspected to have been infected with the virus.
The kingdom has also pre-ordered millions of doses of the antiviral drug Tamiflu so that they can be administered around the country ahead of hajj.
The swine flu poses the biggest risk of a large-scale pandemic since avian flu surfaced in 1997. (dar)
Egypt on Tuesday, July 21, joined other countries in advising some of its citizens to avoid `Umrah and hajj trips to the holy sites in Saudi Arabia this year for fear of contracting the swine flu.
"The elderly, pregnant women, children and those suffering chronic illness should consider delaying `Umrah and hajj so that they are not exposed to the risks of swine flu," Health Ministry official Amr Qandil was quoted as saying by the official MENA news agency.<>
Egypt announced on Sunday, July 19, its first swine flu fatality.
Authorities said a 25-year-old woman returning from `Umrah died on Saturday, July 18, in hospital of swine flu. The woman’s family questioned the government's version and insisted that the woman had a history of heart and other health problems.
The swine flu (H1N1), a mixture of various swine, bird and human viruses, first emerged in Mexico in April.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says the virus is moving around the globe at "unprecedented speed," with more than 700 people killed since the outbreak began.
The Iranian Health Ministry has recommended that the elderly and children avoid traveling to Saudi Arabia after the number of swine flu cases rose to 16, including twelve returning from Saudi Arabia after `Umrah.
Minister of Health Kamran Bagheri Lankarani admitted that some age restrictions have been put on pilgrims wanting to travel to Saudi Arabia for the time being.
On Monday, July 6, the Gulf country of Oman issued a warning to elders and pregnant women against traveling to the holy sites in Saudi Arabia because of the swine flu threat.
Tunisia earlier this month suspended `Umrah because of the virus, while reserving judgment on whether hajj should be undertaken.
Saudi Arabia itself has in June warned elderly Muslims and pregnant women against undertaking hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, because of the threat of swine flu.
More than two million Muslims perform hajj, an obligation for all able-bodied, financially capable Muslims at least once in a lifetime, every year.
Hajj precautions
Health officials from the 22 Arab countries will attend an emergency meeting in Cairo on Wednesday, July 22, to coordinate arrangements and precautions to be taken during hajj. "With hajj being the largest human gathering, one can imagine how rapidly the H1N1 virus could spread," Qatar’s Public Health Department Director Dr Mohamed al-Thani told Gulf Times on Tuesday.
He stressed that the emergency meeting, organized by the Cairo-based WHO Regional Office, will be an important one for all Arab countries.
"During the meeting, we will pinpoint the high-risk groups and assist Saudi Arabia by putting together guidelines for dealing with them."
The Saudi delegation will present 15 recommendations on measures to halt swine flu spread during the hajj season in November.
Quarantine facilities have already been set up at Saudi airports to facilitate the isolation of any pilgrims suspected to have been infected with the virus.
The kingdom has also pre-ordered millions of doses of the antiviral drug Tamiflu so that they can be administered around the country ahead of hajj.
The swine flu poses the biggest risk of a large-scale pandemic since avian flu surfaced in 1997. (dar)
