JIZAN, 10 March — People in Jizan, especially fishermen, have expressed their fears over the spread of a mysterious disease that appears to be linked to local pollution. It has already affected the eyesight of at least 10 people in neighboring Yemen. Although Health Minister Dr. Osama Shubokshi has spoken about precautionary measures, no action has yet been taken to prevent its possible spread.
Reports published in Yemen say the disease has affected a number of Yemen’s military and security personnel deployed along coastal areas such as Shabwa and Taez.
More than 60 tons of fish arrive in Jizan from Yemen daily. Moreover, the pollution of coastal areas in Jizan may also be spreading the disease. According to some sources, the disease has already spread over more than 50 kilometers.
Health Minister Shubokshi said that his ministry had not recorded any case of the disease until Thursday.
“We have mobilized our resources in the border regions to fight the disease,” he added.
He added that there is good coordination with the Yemeni Health Ministry and the World Health Organization over the disease.
“We have also coordinated with the Fisheries Department to conduct tests on the local fish population,” the minister said.
But Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, director of the Agriculture Ministry’s office in Jizan, and Muhammad Hasan Ayyub, director of health, said no precautionary measures have thus far been taken.
“We have not received any information about this mysterious disease and we have not worked out any plan to face it,” Ghamdi said.
However, all fish from Yemen must be subjected to laboratory check, he added.
A large number of fish have been found dead in Jizan as a result of pollution. Local fishermen dump engine oil from their boats along the coast, and raw sewage is also dumped into the sea.
There was a 30 percent drop in sales of fish in Jeddah market on Friday following reports of the disease. Yemeni fish accounts for 60 percent of fish sold in the local market.
