Re: H1N1 fatalities in the Hajj
Several comments are in order to make sense of this post. First, note that 3 of the four fatalities are in their 70s, an age not typically hit by Pandemic H1N1. That suggests that there are really far more than 16 people in the Hajj infected with the pandemic virus, and that these cases are of note only because of their severity. Secondly, millions of people make the pilgrimmage each year, so the presence of the virus makes a large number of cases likely. Finally, many people with terminal illnesses make the Hajj in order to complete the requirement of their religion before they die. So the CFR among Hajj pilgrims is likely to be MUCH higher than in the population as a whole.
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H1N1 fatalities in the Hajj
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H1N1 fatalities in the Hajj
Archive Number 20091122.4013
Published Date 22-NOV-2009
Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (113): Saudi Arabia, Hajj fatalities
INFLUENZA PANDEMIC (H1N1) 2009 (113): SAUDI ARABIA, HAJJ FATALITIES
************************************************** *****************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Sat 21 Nov 2009
Date: BBC News [edited]
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/8372378.stm>
Saudi officials say 4 pilgrims have died of swine flu [influenza
pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection] as they take part in this
year's [2009] annual Mecca pilgrimage. 3 of the victims -- a woman
from Morocco and men from Sudan and India -- were in their 70s. The
4th was a 17-year-old girl from Nigeria.
The Health Ministry said none of the 4 foreign victims had been
vaccinated against the [pandemic] H1N1 virus. An official statement
released by the Ministry said all had underlying health problems,
including cancer and respiratory illness, the AFP [Agence
France-Presse] news agency reported. 3 of the victims died in Medina
and one in Mecca.
Up to 3 million Muslims from around the world take part in the holy
pilgrimage every year, but health officials have expressed fears that
it could provide a breeding ground for the virus. Authorities had
tried to prepare for any outbreaks by installing thermal [imaging]
cameras at airports and sea terminals, deploying 15 000 additional
health workers and ensuring hundreds of extra beds were available.
Health Ministry spokesman Dr Khaled Marghlani told AFP that 16 other
people had diagnosed with swine flu and 4 remain in hospital in
"critical condition." He added 12 others had recovered following treatment.
The Saudi government has said all pilgrims need a certificate of
vaccination before they can apply for a visa [see also ProMED-mail
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (109): Saudi Arabia, Hajj pilgrims
20091120.3997]. In September [2009], the Egyptian authorities barred
hundreds of Muslim pilgrims in Cairo from travelling to Mecca because
of fears about the [pandemic] virus. In July [2009], an Egyptian
woman returning from the lesser Umrah pilgrimage became the 1st
person to die of swine flu in the Middle East and Africa. Performing
the Hajj is incumbent upon all Muslims who have the means to make the
journey to Mecca. Iran banned all pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia during
Ramadan in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Kunihiko Iizuka
[The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Saudi Arabia can be accessed at
<http://healthmap.org/r/00-N>. - Mod.CP]Tags: None
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