RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is monitoring developments related to hantavirus and the Ebola virus, and is safeguarding the well-being of citizens and pilgrims, the Public Health Authority has said.
In coordination with international health agencies, the authority, known as Weqaya, is tracking the evolving Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, as well as international developments related to hantavirus.
“The authority affirms that the Kingdom’s epidemiological surveillance system is operating at full capacity to address any potential public health threats, safeguarding the health of citizens, residents and Hajj pilgrims,” Weqaya told Arab News.
On May 17, the World Health Organization declared that the Ebola outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern under its international health regulations.
Weqaya said that precautionary measures related to the Ebola virus outbreak in the DRC have been in effect since July 2019, when entry visa issuance was suspended for travelers arriving from outbreak-affected areas during the previous epidemic wave.
Periodic risk assessments conducted since have consistently supported the continuation of these measures, in line with evolving scientific evidence.
These precautionary measures have also been intensified for arrivals from countries bordering the affected areas, namely: Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and the Republic of the Congo — a sovereign state distinct from the DRC.
As part of enhanced preparedness and response, the Kingdom has escalated its public health measures at points of entry through the activation of rapid response teams, heightened health communication and travel advisories for arrivals from affected areas, verification of health facility readiness to manage suspected cases in accordance with approved case management protocols, and activation of daily active epidemiological surveillance at Hajj pilgrim accommodations for those arriving from countries neighboring the outbreak zones.
Weqaya continues to monitor developments related to the hantavirus outbreak in coordination with national health authorities of affected countries and international organizations. Hantavirus is assessed as posing a low public health risk to the Kingdom and to the Hajj season, Weqaya said.
Active surveillance and event-based monitoring remain in place to enable early detection and response.
The authority said that the Kingdom’s epidemiological surveillance system operates with high efficiency, and that coordination with relevant stakeholders domestically and internationally will ensure health security — particularly during the Hajj season. All public health countermeasures are activated against any category of health threat, it added.
No confirmed or suspected cases have been identified within the Kingdom, and the overall health status of pilgrims is satisfactory and under continuous monitoring, Weqaya said.
Regional and international health developments are being monitored continuously, in full coordination with competent authorities within and outside the Kingdom, it added.
Necessary public health measures are dictated by the evolving epidemiological situation, to protect the health and safety of all, Weqaya said.
