RIYADH: A Sri Lankan resident of the UAE who came to the Kingdom on business died in a Riyadh hotel on Monday.
Doctors have yet to confirm the cause of death. Sabarullah Khan, charge d’affaires at the Sri Lankan Embassy, said that the embassy was coordinating with the medical authorities and the family of the dead man.
Mohammed Mafaz Mohammed Saleem, 31, was found dead in his hotel room. Saleem was employed as a merchandiser by the UAE subsidiary of Al Hokair Group. Mohammed Arooz, a friend of the deceased, said that Saleem was suffering from continuous coughing and fever.
“We took him to the nearest private clinic and the doctors treated him with antibiotics and an injection,” Arooz said, adding that his friends later took Saleem to the government hospital at the King Saud Medical Complex since there was no improvement.
“The doctor at the government hospital advised the patient to continue the medicines given by the private clinic since a change in drugs was not needed.” Arooz explained that Saleem was taken a second time to the government hospital on Sunday since his friends felt that his condition was worsening.
During the second visit, the doctor took nose and throat swabs to test for swine flu and gave medicines for acute pneumonia. As a precaution, the doctor advised the patient to be quarantined until the results of the swab tests were known. Arooz said that Mohammed was then taken to a leading private specialized hospital in Olaya where SR250 was charged for swine flu tests. Following the tests, without giving the results of the clinical examination, the doctor advised the patient to wait for the clinical report from the government central laboratory. He also advised Saleem’s friends to wear face mask when they were with the sick man until a definite report came from the laboratory. Shyam, another of the deceased’s friends, told Arab News that he had taken Saleem to three private hospitals and a government ne. “But none of them would admit him,” Shyam said.
