SAUDI ARABIA: Acting health minister urges caution in dealing with camels amid MERS outbreak
Record ID:
189454
SAUDI ARABIA: Acting health minister urges caution in dealing with camels amid MERS outbreak
- Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Acting health minister urges caution in dealing with camels amid MERS outbreak
- Date: 29th April 2014
- Summary: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (APRIL 29, 2014) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF SAUDI HEALTH MINISTRY HEADQUARTERS LOGO OF SAUDI HEALTH MINISTRY SAUDI ACTING HEALTH MINISTER, ADEL FAKEIH, SPEAKING VARIOUS OF REPORTERS AND OFFICIALS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAUDI ACTING HEALTH MINISTER, ADEL FAKEIH, SAYING: "Since there is evidence that this virus could be detected in sick camels, then it is of course a must that we be careful in this contact." REPORTERS LISTENING OFFICIALS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAUDI ACTING HEALTH MINISTER, ADEL FAKEIH, SAYING: "There has been a consensus in the discussions taking place for the last two days after the scientific team have reviewed the various evidence that it is advised to not to get in close contact with camels, especially sick camels." OFFICIALS SEATED PHOTOGRAPHER SHOOTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAUDI ACTING HEALTH MINISTER, ADEL FAKEIH, SAYING: "As for Omrah (visit to holy places) and Haj (pilgrimage), there has been certain guidelines that has been communicated to Muslim countries that pilgrims of certain ages and certain conditions should observe not getting themselves exposed." VARIOUS OF OFFICIALS AND JOURNALISTS SEATED FAKEIH LEAVING
- Embargoed: 14th May 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Saudi Arabia
- Country: Saudi Arabia
- Topics: Business,Health,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA5VEOR712ULN07O87U24UOC7IE
- Story Text: The acting Saudi health minister on Tuesday (April 29) urged caution in contact with camels, amid an outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus which has been linked to the animal.
MERS has infected 345 people in the conservative kingdom since it was identified two years ago, causing fever, pneumonia and kidney failure in some, and killing around a third of sufferers.
The virus has been found in bats and camels, and many experts say the latter form the most likely animal reservoir from which humans are becoming infected. However, many patients in a recent outbreak in Jeddah appear to have become infected through person-to-person transmission in hospitals.
Minister Adel Fakieh told a news conference in Riyadh that people should stay away from sick camels.
"There has been a consensus in the discussions taking place for the last two days after the scientific team have reviewed the various evidence that it is advised to not to get in close contact with camels, especially sick camels," he said.
He was speaking after meeting foreign experts including from the WHO who were invited by the government to help investigate MERS. They have also advised people not to consume raw milk or raw meat products from camels.
Camels occupy a special place in Saudi society, providing a link to an important but vanishing nomadic tradition and valued at prices that can climb to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
MERS is of particular concern given Saudi Arabia's role as host of Islam's annual haj pilgrimage which attracts millions to the kingdom each year.
Fakieh said very old people, children and those with chronic diseases should delay their pilgrimage, set for early October, this year, but that no other restrictions were being imposed.
Fakieh was appointed a week ago after the former minister, Abdullah al-Rabeeah, was replaced following mounting expressions of public unease and anger on social media at what many Saudis saw as an inadequate and opaque approach to the outbreak. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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