SAUDI ARABIA

No MERS case in Haj, claims ministry

August 17, 2019



Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH —
The Ministry of Health has highlighted the measures it took during the Haj season this year to combat the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) caused by coronavirus, effectively preventing any spread of the virus among the pilgrims, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

As a result of the measures adopted, there was not a single case of Coronavirus during this year’s Haj season, the ministry said.

The ministry added that in cooperation with the concerned authorities, it kept camels completely away from Haj zones. Special slaughterhouses were allocated for camels but despite this camels were replaced with other livestock as sacrificial animals in the Haj zones following the issuance of a religious edict (fatwa) in this regard.

The ministry said it carried out intensive work in the health facilities of the Haj zones to detect and quarantine any cases suffering from respiratory diseases similar to Coronavirus.

Furthermore, the ministry’s preparations were in place to move any case that is discovered and registered, out of the Haj zones. Thanks to Allah Almighty, no case was registered, the statement added.

The ministry commended the efforts being exerted by mobile laboratories for diagnosing Coronavirus, using the “partial polymerization technology” in the holy sites.

It has stressed that due to success granted by Allah Almighty, not a single Coronavirus case has been detected among the pilgrims, neither during the Haj nor after it, at all.

The Ministry of Health had earlier announced the success of its health plans as the Haj was free from any incidents affecting public health.

Infection with MERS-CoV can cause severe disease resulting in high mortality. Humans are infected with MERS-CoV from direct or indirect contact with dromedary camels. MERS-CoV has demonstrated the ability to transmit between humans. So far, the observed non-sustained human-to-human transmission has occurred mainly in health care settings.


August 17, 2019
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