RIYADH: Two cases of swine flu were diagnosed among nine Haj pilgrims with high temperatures who arrived at the Haj Terminal in Jeddah on Wednesday.
“Our health officials identified nine pilgrims with high body temperatures during the screening operation at the airport. They were taken to King Saud Hospital located in the vicinity of the airport. Following clinical tests, only two of them were found to have swine flu and others were allowed to join their respective Haj groups,” Health Ministry spokesman Dr. Khaled Al-Mirghalani told Arab News on Wednesday.
Al-Mirghalani did not name the nationalities of the infected pilgrims who are currently in the hospital.
The pilgrims will be allowed to continue their pilgrimage once they recover from the viral infection.
King Saud Hospital has been assigned the task of treating pilgrims with swine flu. So far about 600,000 pilgrims have arrived through the Haj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.
As a preventive measure, the Health Ministry has barred pregnant women, children under five, men and women above the age of 65, and others who suffer from chronic diseases from participating in this year’s Haj.
Although swine flu vaccination has not been made mandatory for local and foreign pilgrims, Al-Mirghalani said the respective countries have taken adequate preventive measures against the flu.
He advised local pilgrims also to take the doses provided by the government to combat the flu.
Health officials are using thermal cameras to identify possible swine flu cases. The ministry advises people to wear dust masks, wash hands frequently, cover nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing and observe good personal hygiene during the pilgrimage.
Pilgrims who contract high fever or exhibit other flu-like symptoms should go to the nearest treatment center as soon as possible.
