Oman allays pilgrims' fears of Rift Valley Fever

A senior health official has allayed pilgrims' fears of catching Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in Saudi Arabia, saying the holy places are far from the affected areas in the Kingdom. "Let people go and perform Haj without the fear of the fever in their minds," Dr Saleh Al Ewaidi, Head of the Surveillance and Disease Control Department of the Ministry of Health told Gulf News yesterday.

"At the same time let me say that we are fully prepared to meet any unforeseen situation because of our round-the-clock surveillance." He said the disease was confined to Jizan, Asi and Al Konfudh, which are far away from the holy places. All cases which were detected outside these places, actually acquired the fever within the affected zones.

He said Oman, which was one of the first GCC states to rush a team of medical experts to Yemen to help control the disease, has taken all precautionary measures to check the disease from occurring in the Sultanate. "There has been no RVF in the Sultanate." He said a medical team from Oman has already reached Saudi Arabia to look after Omani and other pilgrims. "We have done our homework." Quoting the latest WHO report, Dr Al Ewaidi said Saudi authorities have taken measures to check mosquitoes which transmit the disease. "The latest reports state that the disease has been totally checked in Saudi Arabia."