Kenyan pilgrims free of swine flu

Muslims and the government have allayed fears that Kenyans on pilgrimage in Mecca could be among those infected with the dreaded H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu.

The director of Public Health, Dr Shannaz Shariff, on Wednesday said the Kenyan pilgrims had been given proper guidelines on how to avoid catching the flu which has killed four pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. The group of about 2,700 Kenyans will also be screened once they return home at the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

Dr Sharriff said each of the pilgrims had been given a three-page manual with information about how they could protect themselves from the disease.

And the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (Supkem), said in a statement signed by secretary-general Adan Wachu that none of the pilgrims who had been killed by the flu was Kenyan.

Mecca receives over two million Muslims for the annual ritual. The five-day spiritual journey follows the steps of the faith’s founder, Muhammad, and the sacrifices made by Abraham in his efforts to follow God’s will.

Dr Shariff said seven government and private doctors had accompanied the pilgrims to ensure they received treatment without relying on Saudi Arabian authorities. The team of doctors with different specialities would be giving continuous medical instructions to the group to minimise chances of contracting the deadly virus.

“All Kenyans were free and we are in constant contact with the Kenyan Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Kenyan Hajj Mission officials,” said Mr Wachu in the statement.

Supkem listed the four dead as; a Moroccan, a Sudanese, an Indian and a Nigerian girl aged 17 who died two days after arriving in Medina. The other victims were all over 75 years old. There have been 70 other confirmed cases of swine flu, none Kenyan.

“Ambassador Ogle sent us a statement confirming that no Kenyan had died from the virus and therefore reports from a section of the media were not true,” said Mr Wachu.