Saudi experts and those from the United Nations and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Saturday toured entry points used by millions of Haj and Umrah pilgrims to assess the Kingdom's measures to prevent the spread of swine flu. The field trip is part of a four-day workshop, which opened here Saturday. Organized by the Ministry of Health, the workshop divided the subjects on the agenda into eight groups such as command and control, combating infection and management of emergency services, readiness of laboratories, epidemic monitoring and readiness, strict medical measures for Haj and Umrah, policies for travel and health quarantine procedures, risk management and dealing with epidemics. The experts also visited Jeddah Islamic Port and the Regional Laboratory to get acquainted with the preparations and measures, said Dr. Ziyad Bin Ahmad Mimish, Coordinator of the Program for the Workshop for Combating Swine Flu. Mimish said the workshop follows the directives of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, to enhance precautionary and preventive measures during the Haj and Umrah seasons. Saudi Arabia has set up a committee to draw up special measures for Haj, which attracts about 3 million people every year. Twenty experts from the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO) will review Saudi Arabia's steps, including those taken at Jeddah's airport and seaport – the main entry points for pilgrims – and offer recommendations and modifications if necessary, according to a Health Ministry statement. “The workshop is part of a comprehensive, national plan ... to deal with this disease in the Kingdom,” said the statement, carried by Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Meanwhile, six new swine flu cases were registered in the Kingdom Saturday, taking the total number to 62, announced the Ministry of Health. Five cases were reported in Riyadh and one in Al-Baha. Two Saudis – a 56-year-old man in Al-Baha and a 23-year-old woman in Riyadh tested positive for the A(H1N1) influenza virus. Three Filipinos and a 29-year-old Yemeni were also found to be suffering from swine flu in Riyadh. All these people had come in contact with previously infected patients. The Ministry has quarantined all cases. __
