Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.arabianbusiness.com/555040-thousands-cancel-pilgrimage-amid-swine-flu-fears
Thousands cancel pilgrimage amid swine flu fears
by Joanna Hartley on Saturday, 09 May 2009
Thousands of Egyptians have cancelled their plans to travel to Saudi Arabia on their minor pilgrimage later in May due to fearts about swine flu, it was reported on Saturday.
Figures from the Chamber of Commerce show that booking rates are down by 60 percent for the Umra to Makkah, according to vice president of the chamber Nasser Turki.
The cancellations followed an announcement by the health minister that he was considering banning pilgrims from traveling for three weeks as part of the Egyptian government?s response to the outbreak of H1N1, Turki said, according to Egyptian website Almasny Alyoum.
The Middle East has only seen seven confirmed cases of swine flu that have been limited to Israeli citizens, a number of whom had recently been in Mexico, the epicentre of the outbreak.
Thousands cancel pilgrimage amid swine flu fears
by Joanna Hartley on Saturday, 09 May 2009
Thousands of Egyptians have cancelled their plans to travel to Saudi Arabia on their minor pilgrimage later in May due to fearts about swine flu, it was reported on Saturday.
Figures from the Chamber of Commerce show that booking rates are down by 60 percent for the Umra to Makkah, according to vice president of the chamber Nasser Turki.
The cancellations followed an announcement by the health minister that he was considering banning pilgrims from traveling for three weeks as part of the Egyptian government?s response to the outbreak of H1N1, Turki said, according to Egyptian website Almasny Alyoum.
The Middle East has only seen seven confirmed cases of swine flu that have been limited to Israeli citizens, a number of whom had recently been in Mexico, the epicentre of the outbreak.
