Rhiza Labs FluTracker Forum

Tunisia set up a monitoring committee to follow up on the evolution of the pandemic. It is also one of the first countries in the region to have ordered large stocks of vaccine. According to the business website, “webmanagercenter”, Tunisia’s Central Pharmacy has recently ordered a stock of some 500,000 supplies of the vaccine from two major international laboratories and hopes to take hold of the vaccine end of October. Tunisia has also given priority to people who are more likely to be exposed to the virus such as pregnant women and people affected with chronic diseases.
http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.co ... -east.html

Tunisia has until last week 40 cases of influenza A H1N1, according to the newspaper Assabah in its Sunday edition. The two latest cases were diagnosed in two tourists participating in a cruise on their arrival in port.
http://www.gnet.tn/revue-de-presse-nati ... u-958.html

Tunisia has until now 43 swine flu cases...

http://www.emro.who.int/csr/h1n1/

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show ... e-flu.html

Tunisia is first country to prohibit Hajj because of swine flu

Tunis/Cairo - Tunisians will not be allowed to travel to Saudi Arabia for the Muslim pilgrimage or Hajj because of fears of the H1N1 virus, known also as swine flu, the government announced Tuesday. No other country has yet said it would prevent its citizens from making the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia in late November for fear they might contract the virus.

Announcing the decision at a brief press conference, Tunisian Minister of Religious Affairs Abu-Bakr al-Akhzouri said the rapid spread of the virus was behind the government's decision.

"Sermons at this Friday's prayers and the local media will further clarify the reasons that led to our taking this decision," al-Akhzouri said.

Al-Akhzouri said that 90 per cent of expatriate Tunisians had already postponed their Hajj pilgrimages this year.

Tunisia and Iran barred their citizens from making the Umrah pilgrimage this year because of fears of the virus. But whereas the Umrah pilgrimage is optional, every Muslim who is able must make perform the Hajj once in his lifetime.

Tour companies that organise pilgrimages report that fear of the virus has already led to a sharp drop in the number of people making the pilgrimage this year.

Dubai's Arabian Business magazine last month estimated the loss to the regional tourism industry at 266 million dollars.

Tunisia has reported 91 cases of the virus, none of them fatal.

Saudi health authorities have have urged those younger than 25 or older than 65 to stay away. Egypt and Iraq have said they will prevent the elderly and those with chronic health conditions from making the trip this year.

Each year, millions of Muslims from around the world perform the Hajj pilgrimage. Even in normal years, many return home sick from contact with bacteria and viruses unfamiliar to their immune systems, combined with the exhausting physical requirements of the pilgrimage.

Tunesia reports 6 H1N1 deaths

EMRO-WHO: http://www.emro.who.int/csr/h1n1/h1n1_update.htm

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