MERS control measures launched

The Health Ministry launched infection control measures and an awareness campaign here on Thursday to tackle the rising number of deaths caused by the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus.
The ministry also provided training for city health workers to deal with the virus at a symposium here.
Officials highlighted ongoing action to analyze how the disease spreads, and discussed using antibiotics to raise the immunity of patients.
A plan is being developed to spread awareness about MERS across the city and through the mass media.
Sami Badawood, director of the Jeddah health department, instructed all health workers to sterilize patient rooms, emergency wards, and medical equipment at hospitals.
Senior doctors Jihad Fadal Bukhari, Naser Al-Jahani and others spoke about preventive measures at the symposium.
Earlier, Muneera Balahmar, a community medicine consultant with the ministry in Jeddah, told Arab News that the program would be run in Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah.
She said the ministry has chosen the Indian Social Forum, a local expatriate body, to conduct the awareness program in the Indian community.
The ministry has already launched its awareness program at schools in Jeddah, said Badawood, which included distributing literature on the virus.
Abdullah Al-Thaqafi, director general of the Ministry of Education, said there have been no infections recorded among schoolchildren in Jeddah.
He said the awareness program would allay fears and ensure students adopt better personal hygiene.
Some Saudi citizens are avoiding going to hospitals because they are afraid of becoming infected.
Faras Osama Bana, a Saudi, told Arab News he was sick for two days but did not want to go to a hospital because he was afraid of MERS.
Mohammed Shami Jafri, another Saudi, said he did the same thing when he fell ill.