UAE | General
Tourist triggers bird flu scare
New Year celebrations at one of the hotels in the capital came to a halt for nearly an hour on Monday as a tourist sparked bird flu scare.
- By Rayeesa Absal, Staff Reporter
- Published: 17:02 January 1, 2008
Abu Dhabi: New Year celebrations at one of the hotels in the capital came to a halt for nearly an hour on Monday as a tourist sparked bird flu scare.
Warning hotel employees from coming near him, the visitor, who came to the country few days back, said he is infected with bird flu and needed urgent medical attention.
At the end of clinical tests, the man was found to be intoxicated and not suffering from any form of disease.
"The visitor caused a state of panic and confusion as he told the management of the hotel that he suffered from avian influenza," said a statement released by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD).
The man claimed that the infection was transmitted to him from his mother-in-law.
A doctor from a private hospital was called in for help by the hotel management. But the man refused to be examined saying that he does not wish to transmit the disease to anyone.
The hotel authorities then called the police who contacted the National Committee for Emergency Response to Bird flu, headed by the EAD.
Specialist physicians from the Department of Preventive Medicine rushed to the hotel, accompanied by a team of experts. Entry and exit to the hotel were blocked by the authorities.
After initial examinations, the doctors confirmed that the man was not suffering from avian influenza.
Almost an hour later, public was allowed to enter the hotel. However, the floor the man stayed was kept isolated.
Finally, results of tests and clinical examinations proved that the man was just intoxicated.
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