RSOE EDIS: Saudi Arabia - Epidemic Hazard - 2010.01.07

RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service Budapest, Hungary RSOE EDIS ALERTMAIL

2010-01-07 06:46:32 - Epidemic Hazard - Saudi Arabia EDIS CODE: EH-20100107-24463-SAU Date & Time: 2010-01-07 06:46:32 [UTC] Area: Saudi Arabia, Province of Makkah, , Jeddah !!! ALERT !!! Number of Infected person(s): 4 Not confirmed information! Description: Laboratory tests in Jeddah identified 4 cases of Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever [AHFV] disease, which re-emerged following the tragic outbreak in Jeddah [Makkah province]. These are the 1st cases after an absence of about 10 years. The sources said AHFV was detected yesterday [5 Jan 2010] in 4 people living in neighborhoods north of the city who were treated immediately in a health center. The Health Secretariat of Jeddah conducted spraying of pesticides in the vicinity of the houses of the 4. In turn, the chairman of the Committee on Health and the Environment of the Municipal Council of Jeddah, Dr. Hussein, was informed of the need to intensify spraying, in order to prevent the spread of [the virus]. AHFV enters the human body and leads to internal bleeding. The mortality rate of the disease is up to 25 percent of the total cases. AHFV is transmitted by mosquitoes from one person to another. A municipal council member said that the disease was discovered for the 1st time in Jeddah in 1994, with 4 cases. Cases of the disease, which has gained the name AHFV, were [originally] believed to be dengue fever infections. [A team of researchers] at the University of King Abdul-Aziz, on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi, is working to diagnose the virus and to highlight its characteristics and how to eliminate it. It is noteworthy that the virus disappeared after the mid-1990s and returned to the area again, according to the adviser to the minister of health for infectious diseases, Dr Tarek Madani, in the beginning of the new millennium. In 2000, health authorities discovered 20 cases of the disease, and noted that all reported cases of AHFV had ocurred south of Jeddah. The name of Hazard: Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever [AHFV] disease Species: Human Status: Confirmed Posted:2010-01-07 06:46:32 [UTC] Please DO NOT reply to this message: replies may be treated as errors and result in your subscription being deleted. If you have trouble or other queries, send email to havaria@rsoe.hu RSOE EDIS is operated by the National Association of Radio-Distress Signalling and Infocommunications (RSOE), Budapest, Hungary. Because of the complexity of this system and its dependence on other systems, we cannot be responsible for delays or failures in forwarding or transmission. You're receiving this AlertMail because you subscribed for the service. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. Contact: havaria@rsoe.hu