Emad Al-Jahdali, deputy minister of health for human capital planning and development and chairman of the Haj Preparatory Committees, said that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has given royal directions to continue the treatment of patients with coronavirus during the Haj season.
He also noted that non-Saudis infected with the disease will not be permitted to leave the Kingdom until they are fully recovered from the infection.
Al-Jahdali confirmed that the ministry has allocated isolation rooms for the infected patients to the east of the Arafat holy site, and that the rooms are equipped with the most advanced medical and health appliances for treatment along with a medical specialist team to deal with cases of coronavirus.
Emphasising the importance of early action, he said: “The Ministry is taking two paths in this regard: working on prevention techniques and education prior to the initiation of infection and treatment. One of the approaches that the ministry has taken is to rule out the use of camels during this Haj for sacrifice, and intensify the control and observation of its important sites,” he explained.
He further said that any suspect case of the virus will be immediately dealt with, adding: “There are more than 52 intensive care units on the site for immediate treatment. Once treated, the infected persons will then be moved to Jeddah to King Abdullah Medical Complex in accordance with the royal directions of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz”.
