JEDDAH: Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah announced yesterday that no suspected cases of swine flu had been found in the Kingdom. He said his ministry had taken precautions to protect the health of citizens and residents.
“Since the appearance of the disease in different countries, we have intensified precautionary measures to protect the public,” the minister said, adding that the National Committee on Infectious Diseases had held a meeting to review the situation.
“We have been following the latest development of the disease through reports received from the World Health Organization (WHO). We have also instructed all health centers and departments to inform the ministry of suspected cases.”
Al-Rabeeah said the ministry had made sure that there were adequate amounts of medicine in its warehouses to treat the disease in the event of possible infections. He said a GCC conference on contagious diseases would be held on May 9.
Earlier, Director of Health Affairs in Jeddah Dr. Sami Badawood told Arab News: “People should rest assured we are fully prepared to deal with all types of contingencies.”
Badawood said his staff was following WHO bulletins on a daily basis and that they would act accordingly with people arriving in the Kingdom.
He emphasized that precautionary measures would be taken for all arrivals into the Kingdom. Health centers at airports and other entry points have been put on alert and will screen not only those arriving from infected areas but all arriving passengers.
Badawood said authorities would also clean and spray all aircraft and vehicles coming from infected areas.
He noted that over the years the Saudis working in health centers and quarantine areas had gained invaluable professional experience through dealing with millions of people who come to the Kingdom for Haj and Umrah.
