TH urges Haj pilgrims to follow health guideline by Saudi government

Malaysian haj pilgrims especially the elderly have been urged to follow the health guideline issued by the Saudi Arabian government to stop the spread of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus (MERS-CoV). Tabung Haji (TH) group managing director and CEO Datuk Ismee Ismail said it will constantly monitor the health of Malaysian pilgrims to ensure that they are really healthy for the ritual. He said that all Malaysian pilgrims are required to go through a medical examination as prescribed by the Saudi Arabian government. "This haj season, millions of people from various countries will come here and we don't know what (disease) they carry. The big crowd will make the weather hotter," he told reporters here today. Ismee said although the guideline issued by the Saudi Arabian government was for all countries, its implementation was dependent on the countries concerned. "Its just a general guideline. As the host country, it is good to have precautionary measures especially with the MERS around." However, Malaysian pilgrims should not be too concerned with the health situation as they will always be screened by Tabung Haji staff. Malaysian haj pilgrims were advised to be physically prepared for the energy sapping ritual by drinking lots of zam zam and plain water. MERS had claimed 33 lives while 55 others fell sick because of the virus in Saudi Arabia since September last year. Among the symptoms of MERS infection are high fever, difficulty in breathing, diarrhoea and vomiting. No MERS cases have been reported in Malaysia.