Grippe porcine / Swine flu - Nature biting back at industrial animal production?

[Al-khiyal]

Another swine flu case discovered in Kuwait today

KUWAIT, July 20, 2009 (KUNA) -- A Kuwaiti woman was the third case infected with swine flu disovered in Kuwait on Monday, said the Health Ministry spokesman. Dr. Yousif Al-Nisf told KUNA lab tests revealed that the woman, who came from Britain, tested positive with the A(H1N1) virus, adding that the case was sent to an infectious disease hospital for treatment. With the new announcement, the number of registered swine flu cases increased in Kuwait to 36. Al-Nisf affirmed that the Health Ministry was doing its utmost to counter the disease, pointing out that the percentage of patients being cured was high. Anti-swine flu vaccines would be available in the country by the end of 2009, concluded the spokesman.

[Al-khiyal]

Jordan announces three new swine flu cases

AMMAN, July 20, 2009 (KUNA) -- Jordan Health Minister Dr. Nayef Al-Fayez announced three new swine flu cases on Monday. He said in a statement that one of the patients was a 16-year-old Jordanian national who came from the U.S., the second was another Jordanian, 25, who flew in from Saudi Arabia, while the third was a 25-year-old Indonesian female who came from her country three days ago. The three cases were admitted into hospital to receive treatment. With today's cases, the number of registered swine flu patients in Jordan reached 41, of whom 35 have already recovered.

[Al-khiyal]

Egyptians warned over swine flu in Saudi Arabia

CAIRO, July 21, 2009 -- 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 swine 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 late Monday.

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 coordinate arrangements and precautions to be taken during the pilgrimage season. Egypt on Sunday reported its first death linked to swine flu after a 25-year-old woman returning from a Saudi pilgrimage died in hospital. 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 swine flu and Oman issued a similar warning on July 6. Tunisia earlier this month suspended omra pilgrimages because of the virus, but reserved judgment on whether the main hajj pilgrimage should be undertaken in November.

[Al-khiyal]

Kuwait announces 8 fresh swine flu cases returning from Umra

KUWAIT, July 21, 2009 (KUNA) -- The Kuwait Health Ministry announced Tuesday eight new swine flu cases among Kuwaiti citizens who returned from Umra (small pilgrimage to Hajj), raising the number of registered cases of the A (H1N1) virus to 44. Ministry spokesman Dr. Youssef Al-Nisf told KUNA that laboratory tests showed that the cases, including six females, were infected with the virus and would be treated in the Infectious Diseases Hospital. Their condition is stable, he noted. Al-Nisf, quoting the Saudi Health Ministry, said that authorities there have called on the elderly, pregnant women, people with chronic diseases and children to postpone performing pilgrimage for this year. It also urged pilgrims to get vaccinated against seasonal flu two weeks prior to their departure as a precautionary measure. The spokesman said the health ministry is following the situation and is dealing with the patients in line with the guidelines of the World Health Organization.

[Al-khiyal]

Le hadj compromis par la grippe porcine

Mardi 21 Juillet 2009 -- Les pays musulmans prennent au sérieux les alertes de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) à propos de la deuxième vague de la grippe porcine qui touchera le monde en automne, ils prennent leurs dispositions notamment concernant le hadj et la omra. Le pèlerinage à la Mecque préoccupe essentiellement les pays arabes qui craignent la multiplication des contaminations par le virus A (H1N1). L’Egypte, qui a inscrit son premier cas mortel (une fille de 25 ans rentrée d’un pèlerinage en Arabie Saoudite) vient de recommander aux femmes enceintes, aux malades chroniques et aux personnes âgées d’éviter d’aller à la Mecque. Le problème avait été abordé en juin notamment par l’Arabie Saoudite qui, déjà, avait recommandé aux pèlerins nombres de précautions. La Tunisie avait même suspendu la omra en se réservant de trancher sur la question du hadj. Si les musulmans du monde entier peuvent accomplir les rites de la omra toute l’année, ceux du hadj ne sont possibles qu’une fois par an. Cette année le pèlerinage du hadj est prévu en novembre, période attendue de la seconde vague pandémique du virus A (H1N1). Les autorités des pays musulmans pensent à une éventuelle « fatwa » concernant le pèlerinage de cette année, la sonnette d’alarme tirée par l’Organisation mondiale de la santé doit être prise au sérieux. Au sujet d’un probable report du hadj cette année, le cheikh d’Al-Azhar et le mufti de la République, les deux plus hautes autorités religieuses musulmanes d’Egypte, affirment être en attente d’une demande de report des autorités sanitaires, et qu’il seront prêts à étudier conformément à la loi islamique. À quelques mois du hadj et de la vague pandémique attendue de la grippe A, les ministres arabes de la Santé se réunissent mercredi au Caire afin de prendre des mesures et de décider des conditions du pèlerinage à la Mecque.

[Al-khiyal]

Urgent WHO swine flu regional meeting to be headed by Yemen

SANAA, July 21, 2009 (KUNA) -- Yemen heads the urgent regional committee meeting for the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday in Cairo, said Health Minister Dr. Abdulkarim Rasea on Tuesday. Rasea assured in a press release issued during his departure on Tuesday, that the meeting will be held with the participation of Health Ministries in the Middle East region to discuss the H1N1 virus disease. He added that the meeting will discuss all the preperations and precautions for this year for both seasons the Piligrimage, and Omra. Yemen announced during the past period the confirmation of swine flu cases of citizens that came from other countries, where only eight cases were cured as there are another two under medical supervision.

[Al-khiyal]

Egyptians warned over swine flu in Saudi Arabia

Le pays enregistre son premier décès dû à la grippe porcine :
L'Égypte déconseille le pèlerinage aux personnes âgées et aux femmes enceintes

Mercredi 22 Juillet 2009 -- L'Égypte a recommandé aux pèlerins les plus vulnérables, comme les femmes enceintes, d'éviter d'aller à La Mecque cette année en raison de la grippe porcine, alors que le pays a enregistré son premier décès dû au virus A/H1N1, une femme revenant d'Arabie Saoudite. “Amr Qandil, le chargé des questions de prévention au ministère de la Santé, a mis en garde les personnes âgées, les femmes enceintes, les enfants et les personnes atteintes de maladies chroniques contre le fait d'effectuer le hadj et la omra” (grand et petit pèlerinages), a rapporté l’agence officielle Mena lundi soir. “Il leur a demandé de reporter leur participation à ces rites afin qu'ils ne soient pas exposés (...) à la grippe porcine”, a-t-il ajouté, cité par l'agence. L'Arabie Saoudite avait fait la même recommandation en juin. La Tunisie, elle, a d'ores et déjà suspendu la omra, réservant sa décision sur le hadj.