Jakarta, NU Online
The government has not yet decided whether to allow citizens who test positive for the H1N1 virus to leave for Saudi Arabia for a minor pilgrimage during the fasting month of Ramadhan.
“We are still waiting for an official letter about it from the government of Saudi Arabia,” the health ministry director general for disease control and environmental health, Tjandra Yoga Aditama, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.<>
He said the ministry had warned people with the H1N1 virus against traveling to prevent the virus from spreading.
“But we will follow any regulations the Saudi government may enact,” he said.
Saudi Arabia has said it will require millions of inbound pilgrims from across the world to produce health certificates stating they do not have any chronic disease as part of the country's efforts to fight the H1N1 virus.
Spokesman for Saudi Arabia’s ministry of health Khaled al-Merghalani said the country would ban adults over 65 and children under 12 who, the ministry says, are the most prone to H1N1 influenza. The ministry will also require pilgrims to show proof they have received flu shots at home.
"These conditions came after consultations with top international experts in the field," al-Merghalani said, as quoted by The Associated Press. "No one will be able to get a visa without fulfilling these new rules." (dar)
The government has not yet decided whether to allow citizens who test positive for the H1N1 virus to leave for Saudi Arabia for a minor pilgrimage during the fasting month of Ramadhan.
“We are still waiting for an official letter about it from the government of Saudi Arabia,” the health ministry director general for disease control and environmental health, Tjandra Yoga Aditama, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.<>
He said the ministry had warned people with the H1N1 virus against traveling to prevent the virus from spreading.
“But we will follow any regulations the Saudi government may enact,” he said.
Saudi Arabia has said it will require millions of inbound pilgrims from across the world to produce health certificates stating they do not have any chronic disease as part of the country's efforts to fight the H1N1 virus.
Spokesman for Saudi Arabia’s ministry of health Khaled al-Merghalani said the country would ban adults over 65 and children under 12 who, the ministry says, are the most prone to H1N1 influenza. The ministry will also require pilgrims to show proof they have received flu shots at home.
"These conditions came after consultations with top international experts in the field," al-Merghalani said, as quoted by The Associated Press. "No one will be able to get a visa without fulfilling these new rules." (dar)
