Hajj pilgrims warned of coronavirus infection

Thai citizens planning to travel to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage have been urged to beware of the fatal coronavirus during their journey while a medical team has been set up to care for their health. After the emergence of a new strain of coronavirus in Saudi Arabia, Culture Minister Sukumol Kunplome stated that the ministry has coordinated with the Ministry of Public Health in sending a medical unit to the Office of the Hajj Representatives of Thailand in an effort to raise Hajj pilgrims’ awareness of the deadly virus. The unit is also providing medical checkups for the pilgrims ahead of their departure for the Middle Eastern country. The current temperature in Saudi Arabia is reportedly very high, which is conducive to the spread of coronavirus. Therefore, staff from the Office of the Hajj Representatives will pay a visit to the pilgrims in Mecca to assess the situation and ensure their well-being. The Saudi government has also been asked to help disseminate information about coronavirus to the pilgrims, especially a guideline on how to prevent the infection. Those returning from the pilgrimage will need to have their health conditions continuously monitored by the medical team for ten days. Coronavirus previously killed a Qatari man, whose symptoms included renal failure and acute respiratory syndrome. The victim had visited Saudi Arabia before his illness. From centerweb