Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09RIYADH837
2009-06-25 06:09:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Riyadh
Cable title:
SAUDI ARABIA H1N1 UPDATE: 48 CASES, NO TRAVEL
how-toVZCZCXRO8403 PP RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHDIR DE RUEHRH #0837 1760609 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 250609Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1047 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBD/AMEMBASSY BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN PRIORITY 0014 RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK PRIORITY 0279 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0151 RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR PRIORITY 0059 RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA PRIORITY 0719 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0491 RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 0028 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0277 RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY
UNCLAS RIYADH 000837
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP (HARRIS)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL TBIO KFLU CASC ASEC AMGT SA
SUBJECT: SAUDI ARABIA H1N1 UPDATE: 48 CASES, NO TRAVEL
BANS, POTENTIALLY MORE CASES
REF: 09RIYADH800
UNCLAS RIYADH 000837
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP (HARRIS)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL TBIO KFLU CASC ASEC AMGT SA
SUBJECT: SAUDI ARABIA H1N1 UPDATE: 48 CASES, NO TRAVEL
BANS, POTENTIALLY MORE CASES
REF: 09RIYADH800
1. (SBU) On June 23, the Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed
45 cases of H1N1 in SAUDI ARABIA since June 3, and on June 25
the Arab News reported three additional cases. The Ministry
has reported no fatalities to date, and 17 of the H1N1
patients have been released from the hospital. Several
patients were identified as H1N1-positive upon return from
travel to the Philippines, the United States, Canada,
Australia, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, and India, and the
remainder were infected upon close contact with the returning
travelers. The H1N1-infected persons reportedly range in age
from 2 months to 32 years, including 17 under the age of 10.
Ten of the reported H1N1 cases have been health workers, all
Filipina and Malaysian nurses.
2. (SBU) To date, the SAUDI government has imposed no travel
bans. Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Al-Obaikan, a senior SAUDI cleric
and member of the Shoura (Consultative) Council was quoted
by the Okaz Daily as saying "it is not proper to ban people
from Hajj." He added that travel to and from countries with
reported cases of swine flu should not be impaired. Sheikh
Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, the Kingdom's Grand Mufti, said the
concerns over exposure to swine flu at the pilgrimage were
exaggerated. The MOH is moving forward with Hajj
preparations, including a June 28-30 H1N1 workshop with the
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health
Organization (WHO) in Jeddah. Health officials from 20
health regions will participate, and the H1N1 experts will
visit the Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International
Airport in Jeddah to discuss preventive measures.
3. (SBU) A nurse who works at King Abdulaziz Medical City
(KAMC) told Econoff on June 20 that 7 KAMC nurses had tested
H1N1-positive. She added that KAMC was treating "several"
other H1N1 patients, some of whom had been infected by the
hospital staff. Econoff later confirmed that only 5 of the 7
H1N1-positive KAMC nurses had been confirmed in the press by
the Ministry. Several other health workers told Econoff that
they are more concerned about dengue fever than H1N1, as the
H1N1 strain is very mild, while dengue fever is more
prevalent and debilitating. (Note: The Embassy Medical Unit
reviewed KAMC's H1N1 reporting forms and infection control
precautions documents, and found the guidance to be
reasonable. The transmission of H1N1 between hospital staff
and patients is partly due to the incubation period of this
H1N1 strain, and subsequent delayed appearance of symptoms.
End note.)
4. (SBU) Comment: The SAUDI government is responding
expeditiously to all emerging H1N1 cases, and remains focused
on prevention and surveillance in preparation for the
upcoming pilgrimage season. The health worker's account
indicates that MOH's reporting regimen is not flawless, but
Post does not believe that the Kingdom is downplaying the
seriousness of the outbreak. End comment.
5. (U) Henceforth Post will submit weekly H1N1 updates.
ERDMAN
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP (HARRIS)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL TBIO KFLU CASC ASEC AMGT SA
SUBJECT: SAUDI ARABIA H1N1 UPDATE: 48 CASES, NO TRAVEL
BANS, POTENTIALLY MORE CASES
REF: 09RIYADH800
1. (SBU) On June 23, the Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed
45 cases of H1N1 in SAUDI ARABIA since June 3, and on June 25
the Arab News reported three additional cases. The Ministry
has reported no fatalities to date, and 17 of the H1N1
patients have been released from the hospital. Several
patients were identified as H1N1-positive upon return from
travel to the Philippines, the United States, Canada,
Australia, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, and India, and the
remainder were infected upon close contact with the returning
travelers. The H1N1-infected persons reportedly range in age
from 2 months to 32 years, including 17 under the age of 10.
Ten of the reported H1N1 cases have been health workers, all
Filipina and Malaysian nurses.
2. (SBU) To date, the SAUDI government has imposed no travel
bans. Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Al-Obaikan, a senior SAUDI cleric
and member of the Shoura (Consultative) Council was quoted
by the Okaz Daily as saying "it is not proper to ban people
from Hajj." He added that travel to and from countries with
reported cases of swine flu should not be impaired. Sheikh
Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, the Kingdom's Grand Mufti, said the
concerns over exposure to swine flu at the pilgrimage were
exaggerated. The MOH is moving forward with Hajj
preparations, including a June 28-30 H1N1 workshop with the
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health
Organization (WHO) in Jeddah. Health officials from 20
health regions will participate, and the H1N1 experts will
visit the Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International
Airport in Jeddah to discuss preventive measures.
3. (SBU) A nurse who works at King Abdulaziz Medical City
(KAMC) told Econoff on June 20 that 7 KAMC nurses had tested
H1N1-positive. She added that KAMC was treating "several"
other H1N1 patients, some of whom had been infected by the
hospital staff. Econoff later confirmed that only 5 of the 7
H1N1-positive KAMC nurses had been confirmed in the press by
the Ministry. Several other health workers told Econoff that
they are more concerned about dengue fever than H1N1, as the
H1N1 strain is very mild, while dengue fever is more
prevalent and debilitating. (Note: The Embassy Medical Unit
reviewed KAMC's H1N1 reporting forms and infection control
precautions documents, and found the guidance to be
reasonable. The transmission of H1N1 between hospital staff
and patients is partly due to the incubation period of this
H1N1 strain, and subsequent delayed appearance of symptoms.
End note.)
4. (SBU) Comment: The SAUDI government is responding
expeditiously to all emerging H1N1 cases, and remains focused
on prevention and surveillance in preparation for the
upcoming pilgrimage season. The health worker's account
indicates that MOH's reporting regimen is not flawless, but
Post does not believe that the Kingdom is downplaying the
seriousness of the outbreak. End comment.
5. (U) Henceforth Post will submit weekly H1N1 updates.
ERDMAN