MANAMA: Health authorities are awaiting instructions from their counterparts in Saudi Arabia before they vaccinate thousands of Bahraini pilgrims against swine flu before the annual Haj season begins later this year.
“We are still waiting instructions from Saudi authorities regarding vaccination of Bahraini pilgrims,” a Health Ministry spokesperson said.
There are talks that each of the pilgrims may be given a full dose of the anti-viral drug, Tamiflu. This year officials expect an estimated 15,000 people to travel from Bahrain to perform Haj.
“We are regularly in talks with officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding the deadly virus and necessary steps to be taken in our contingency plan,” the spokesperson said.
WHO officials have warned that a second wave of the flu may spread before winter which is when millions will visit Saudi Arabia to perform Haj.
Haj contractors on the island are now overbooked with pilgrims. “Haj reservations are still ongoing and this summer, we are noticing increasing travelers to Saudi Arabia,” said Fadhel Abaas, owner of Al-Ata’a contracting.
Last year, about 8,000 Bahrainis performed Haj.
Bahrain registered its first swine flu case last month after a 21-year-old Bahraini student returning from the US tested positive for the H1N1 infection.
A Filipino nurse who arrived in Riyadh from Manila aboard a Gulf Air flight was diagnosed with swine flu. Bahrain’s Health Ministry has contacted the national carrier for further details of the incident.
