ibnchannel.id – The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) has appealed to Indonesian pilgrims to always be aware of the transmission of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) while performing their pilgrimage in the Holy Land.
“Although there are not many cases of MERS-CoV and they are under control in Saudi Arabia, pilgrims and hajj officers must always be vigilant,” said Head of the Health Division of the PPIH Saudi Arabia, Dr. Mohammad Imran at the Indonesian Hajj Health Clinic (KKHI) in Mecca, as quoted from a statement received in Jakarta, Friday.
It is known, based on information from the official website of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health has reported nine confirmed positive cases of MERS-CoV that occurred from March 1 to April 21, 2025.
The cases were found in the Riyadh area as many as eight people and in Hail one person.
Of that number, two people were declared dead. Of those cases, seven were identified in Riyadh, including six health workers who contracted nosocomial infections from an infected patient they were treating.
Furthermore, Imran explained that MERS-CoV is a serious respiratory disease caused by the corona virus.
Transmission of the disease, he said, can occur through close contact with infected animals, especially camels, or through respiratory droplets from human to human.
Common symptoms of MERS-CoV include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, which can develop into more severe complications.
Imran then emphasized that KKHI in Mecca and Medina are always ready to provide medical services for pilgrims who show symptoms of respiratory infections.
“Avoid direct contact with camels, including taking photos with camels and drinking camel milk on farms or not consuming camel products that are not guaranteed to be clean,” he said as quoted from kemkes.id.
Next, the pilgrims are also advised to wear masks when in crowded places, practice a clean and healthy lifestyle, and maintain hand hygiene by always washing hands before and after activities.
In addition, Imran also called on pilgrims to immediately report to hajj health officers if they experience symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, or difficulty breathing. Thus, they can be examined and treated quickly.***
