Text Box: SASTM Newsflash PILGRIMS WARNED AMID FLU FEARS Source: New24.com 2009-07-2 Cairo - Egypt has become the latest country to warn vulnerable Muslims not to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca, after a woman returning from Saudi Arabia became the first Egyptian to die from H1N1 flu. The health ministry "has warned the elderly, pregnant women, children and those suffering from chronic illness not to perform the hajj or omra pilgrimages", the official Mena news agency reported. As well as the annual hajj, which all Muslims are required to make once in a lifetime if they have the means, the faithful can also make a lesser pilgrimage to the holy places, known as omra, at any time of the year. Upwards of two million people are expected in Saudi Arabia over the next five months on pilgrimages to the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The ministry "has asked them to delay taking part so that they are not exposed to the risks... of swine flu", Mena quoted health ministry official Amr Qandil as saying. The warning came ahead of a meeting of Arab health ministers in Cairo on Wednesday to co-ordinate arrangements and precautions to be taken during the pilgrimage season. Egypt on Sunday reported its first death linked to H1N1 flu after a 25-year-old woman returning from a Saudi pilgrimage died in hospital. Egypt's top cleric or mufti, Sheikh Ali Gomaa, said he would not issue a decree barring Egyptians from making the pilgrimage, but health officials said all returning pilgrims would be quarantined. Saudi Arabia in June warned elderly Muslims and pregnant women against undertaking the hajj because of the threat of H1N1 flu and Oman issued a similar warning on July 6. Tunisia earlier this month suspended omra pilgrimages because of the virus, but reserved judgement on whether the main hajj pilgrimage should be undertaken in November. - SAPA South African Society of Travel Medicine (SASTM) Phone: +27 (0)11 555 0540 / 0442 Fax: +27 087 9411350 / 1 E-mail: admin@sastm.org.za / sastm@wirelessza.co.za Website: www.sastm.org.za Postal address: SASTM, Pvt Bag X4, Sandringham, Johannesburg, 2131, South Africa Physical address: SASTM, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, PRF Building, 1/F, Rm U53, 1 Modderfontein Road, Sandringham, Johannesburg, 2192, South Africa Registered as a Nonprofit Organisation 063-296-NPO       Health Guidelines for Hajj

Text Box: POSTED ON THE SASTM LISTSERVE: QUERY Hajj and Swine Flu Risk REPLY 1  In reply to Dr.Hussen's query, please note the following; A workshop on precautionary health measures during Hajj and Umrah was held in Jeddah on 30th June 2009 - it was recommended that the old, the infirm, pregnant women and children not to perform Hajj and Umrah this year in view of the global swine flu pandemic. Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah said at a press conference following the workshop that the WHO experts who participated in the conference were satisfied with the precautionary measures taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to prevent the spread of the virus among pilgrims during the Hajj season - quoted from Arab News Daily. Should a vaccine become available against the H1N1 virus, all pilgrims must be vaccinated at least two weeks before departure from their home countries. The danger is of course enormous with approx. 3.5M to 4M pilgims gathering in very close proximity, especially over the five days of Hajj. Thus all pilgrims going on Hajj must take every precaution to prevent any sort of infection. Dr.Abdul Aziz Adams  POSTED ON THE SASTM LISTSERVE: QUERY Hajj and Swine Flu Risk  I have had a number of patients who will be going for Hajj to Mecca this November.  What is the risk of them contracting swine flu, considering that there will be millions of people from all around the world, who will be in very close proximity to each other?  Dr Nazreen Hussen  South African Society of Travel Medicine (SASTM) Phone: +27 (0)11 555 0540 / 0442 Fax: +27 (0)11555 0538 E-mail: admin@sastm.org.za / sastm@wirelessza.co.za Website: www.sastm.org.za Postal address: SASTM, Pvt Bag X4, Sandringham, Johannesburg, 2131, South Africa Physical address: SASTM, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, PRF Building, 1/F, Rm U53, 1 Modderfontein Road, Sandringham, Johannesburg, 2192, South Africa Registered as a Nonprofit Organisation 063-296-NPO