President of the Haj and Umrah Committee Osama Filaali called on the Health Ministry to make Eastern Province pilgrims undergo coronavirus testing.
He said up until yesterday the committee has not received of contingency plans to deal with a possible outbreak of the virus, which is associated with acute respiratory syndrome accompanied by renal failure.
Jeddah Health Director Dr. Sami Badawood said the Health Ministry does not intend to make pilgrims arriving from the Eastern Province through the King Abdelazziz Airport to undergo such medical tests for coronavirus.
He said the Health Ministry has issued a warning to citizens who appear to have symptoms of the disease, or those who have contact with people who have it, not to leave their area and undergo medical check-ups.
“This is sufficient precautionary measures for this disease in the present situation,” he said.
He clarified that the present procedures taken at airports has come after the recommendation by the World Health Organization, and added that there has been no similar cases like the coronavirus infection in the Jeddah governorate at the present time despite the rumors circulating in some social media websites.
The Health Ministry officially said 15 people have died from the virus in the Eastern Region and a total of 30 cases have been reported.
The first cases, two Saudis and a Qatari, were discovered in the Jeddah governorate last September.
On its website, the World Health Organization said the virus includes a platoon of viruses ranging from common colds to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
Coronavirus tests for EP pilgrims urged
