The Health Ministry announced another swine flu death Monday, taking the death toll from the pandemic to 9 in Saudi Arabia. The victim was a 33-year-old Saudi man. He was admitted to a Riyadh hospital Tuesday and he passed away Sunday. A Saudi woman of 25 died Friday from swine flu in the southwestern Najran region after returning from neighboring Yemen. The ministry said last week that total A(H1N1) flu infections in the Kingdom were nearing 600. The government said it was doubling surveillance efforts as the holy month of Ramadan approaches when hundreds of thousands of people from around the world are expected to undertake the Umrah pilgrimage, heightening fears of the virus spreading. Health Minister Abdulla Al-Rabeah had earlier said that the Kingdom has ordered four million swine flu vaccines from international companies ahead of the Haj. He said the vaccines would be given primarily to pilgrims residing in Saudi Arabia, people who work on the agencies of the pilgrimage, and residents of Makkah and Madina. The government has also issued restrictions on Haj pilgrims. Pilgrims performing Haj this year must be between the ages of 12 and 65, have certificate that they do not have chronic diseases, like diabetes, obesity and hypertension. Pregnant women will not be allowed to enter Makkah, according to the Ministry of Health. Haj visa applications must also show proof of vaccination. Iran has canceled all flights to Saudi Arabia and banned all pilgrimages to the holy places in the Kingdom during Ramadan to minimize the spread of swine flu, an aviation official was quoted as saying by Jumhuri Eslami newspaper Monday.
