Pursuant to the ongoing epidemiological surveillance and preventive efforts by the Ministry of Health (MOH) during Hajj Season, MOH's hospitals and centers in Makkah and Madinah have detected 58 malaria cases among pilgrims of 8 foreign countries. By Allah's Grace, 56 cases have been treated, while two are still hospitalized.
According to MOH, all cases are among foreign pilgrims, with no single local case since Hajj and Umrah sites are cleared from the infection carrier. Malaria is endemic in several Muslim states. The number of cases varies from season to another depending on the preventive and treatment activities of such pilgrims' respective countries.
From an epidemic perspective, malaria surveillance processes during Hajj Season are designed to detect cases as fast as possible, through using quick screening appliances and treating all cases based on their classification. On the other hand, prevention of the infection in Hajj sites depends on non-stop insect surveillance and blocking re-emergence of the carrier.
"Diagnosis is mostly convenient due to obvious symptoms and quick blood tests at all hospitals across Hajj sites. Quantities and categories of quality medications are specified and distributed to health facilities before the season, while each single case is assessed on its own to determine infection category and source, and report cases daily to the operational room.", MOH stresses.
In the same vein, the public health teams have visited Hajj Missions' premises with detected malaria cases, to coordinate facility-based screening, assessing and treating suspected cases through quick screening, on-premise services and coordination to carry cases requiring venous drugs to hospitals.