Health advisory for Umrah and Haj pilgrims
The World Health Organization (WHO)1 has reported cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and United Arab Emirates. The Ministry of Health (MOH) would like to advise Umrah and Haj pilgrims of the following:
- Get vaccinated against influenza and meningitis. MOH also recommends pneumococcal vaccination for persons aged 65 years and above, or with chronic medical conditions.
- Pilgrims with pre-existing chronic medical conditions (e.g. diabetes, chronic bronchitis) should consult a medical practitioner before travelling to assess whether making the pilgrimage is medically advisable.
- Avoid close contact with persons suffering from acute respiratory infections (e.g. someone who is coughing).
- Avoid contact with live farm or wild animals.
- Observe good personal hygiene at all times, and practise frequent hand washing with soap and water, before handling food or eating, after going to toilet, or when hands are dirtied by respiratory secretions after coughing or sneezing and in particular, after direct contact with ill persons or their environment. Persons who are sick are reminded to cover their nose and mouth with tissue when sneezing or coughing, and to dispose of the tissue properly.
- Wear masks (i.e. surgical masks), especially when in crowded places.
- Adopt good food safety and hygiene practices and avoid taking undercooked meats, raw fruits and vegetables (unless they have been peeled), or unsafe water.
- Wear a mask and seek medical attention promptly if you become unwell with fever and cough and/or breathlessness while travelling or within 2 weeks after returning to Singapore, and inform the doctor of your travel history.
Updated: 17 Apr 2014
1 For the latest update, please refer to WHO’s website at: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/coronavirus_infections/en/index.html.