The Ministry of Health has announced that detection devices will be set up at the airport and the King Fahd Causeway during the Hajj season to prevent any travellers infected with swine flu or cholera from entering Bahrain.
Head of the Public and International Relations Directorate at the Ministry of Health Adel Abdullah said that the devices will be set up in November to coincide with the Hajj season when many people from Bahrain travel to Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage. Health clinics will also be set up at the airport and the causeway to monitor travellers.
Speaking to our sister newspaper Al Ayam, Abdullah explained that the current situation does not warrant the setting up of such devices as the World Health Organisation has announced that the H1N1 pandemic is now over.
Despite this, the authorities have decided to step up measures during the Hajj season as an extra precaution.
Abdullah assured the public that although there have been two cases of swine flu diagnosed in recent weeks this does not mean that there has been another outbreak of the disease, and the authorities are taking all the necessary precautions to ensure that these remain isolated incidents.
The official affirmed that Bahrain's health centres are well-prepared and equipped to deal with any potential outbreaks and instructions on how to treat potential swine flu cases have been sent to all health workers.
© Bahrain Tribune 2010
