PILGRIMS SHOULD NOT BE TOO CONCERNED OVER MERS VIRUS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 15 (Antara) - Indonesian minor hajj (umrah) pilgrims to Saudi Arabia should not be overly worried about the outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus (MERS-CoV) in the Holy Land, yet they have to remain alert.          The government should also handle the MERS issue properly and wisely so that it will not cause concern or unrest among the people. Calls for umrah pilgrims to postpone departure to Saudi Arabia are appreciated, but the government should not issue a travel ban.          After all, Indonesia is still considered free from the virus and the World Health Organization has not yet issued such a recommendation.          What is important is that the government is active in raising the awareness of the people so that they will remain careful and alert.          "There is no need to worry and pilgrims need not be overly afraid of the MERS issue. What they need to do is remain alert and assume healthy ways of life," Baluki Ahmad, chairman of the Indonesian Umrah Hajj Pilgrimage Organizations Association (Himpuh) said on Wednesday.          Health Minister Nafsiah Mboi said previously Indonesia is still free from the MERS virus until now, which had spread in Saudi Arabia from Jidda to Mecca, Medina. The virus has also reportedly been detected in 15 countries.            However, currently, infections of the virus have not yet been detected in Indonesia, although a number of returning Indonesian pilgrims have been admitted to hospitals on suspicion of having contracted the virus. Yet, based on laboratory tests, they were negative for the MERS virus.          Until Sunday, it was reported that the virus had infected 480 people in Saudi Arabia and killed 139 of them.          Baluki said media reports on the outbreak of the MERS virus were wide spread, yet umrah pilgrims did not seem to worry too much about the virus infection. Without revealing a figure, Baluki claimed that the number of umrah pilgrims this month increased.          "This month, the number of minor hajj pilgrims increased because it coincides with the Arabic month of Rajab, which precedes the months of Sya'ban and Ramadhan (fasting month for Muslims)," noted Baluki.          Through umrah travel bureaus, would-be umrah pilgrims, particularly the elderly, children and expectant mothers, were called on to practice the healthy ways of life as suggested by the Ministry of Health.      "It is not always that the elderly are not healthy. If their health conditions are good, they can carry out their pilgrimage plans," he added.          Therefore, the Central Executive Board of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) asked the government to adopt a wise policy in handling the MERS virus issue so that the people will not become restless.           "It should not happen that the handling of the MERS issue will adversely create unrest among the public," PBNU general chairman Said Aqil Siroj stated on Tuesday.          The PBNU asked the related parties in the government, particularly the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Religious Affairs, to cooperate in the handling of the MERS-CoV issue.          PBNU also appreciated the calls on umrah pilgrims to postpone their plans to go to the Holy Land, but hoped that the government would not issue a travel restriction to Saudi Arabia.          Secretary General of PBNU Syahrizal Syarif said he appreciated such a call.          "The call is good but it should not be followed by a ban. It is wrong to ban them from going to the Holy Land, because it concerns religious rituals of the pilgrims in the Holy Land," Syahrizal explained.           West Sumatra Health Service was reported to have issued an advice to postpone Umra pilgrimage for people more than 60 years and those who are not in good health, following the MERS virus outbreak.           West Sumatra Health Service chief Rosini Savitri said all Umra pilgrims are advised to postpone their pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia if they are not in good health.           "The virus transmission is through air, also it is transmittable through infected equipment that has been used to treat other patients," Rosnini added.          Syahrizal Syarif, a lecturer at the University of Indonesia (UI), who earned his doctorate in epidemiology, said it is difficult for the MERS virus to be transmitted from a human sufferer to another if they had rare contacts.          "It is not easy for this virus to infect people if they do not have intensive contact, such as people in one family. Medical workers who take care of patients can of course easily contract the virus," Syahrizal explained.          To anticipate exposure to the virus, people should pay close attention to sanitation and self cleanliness. "People should use face masks and adhere to cleanliness, wash hands with soap and flowing waters. If body temperature is rising, contact medical workers or doctors," he said.          Meanwhile, legislator Okky Asokawati said the government's efforts to raise awareness among the people regarding the outbreak of the MERS virus in the Arabian Peninsula were reported to be poor.          "The efforts of the Indonesian Health Ministry and Religious Affairs Ministry in disseminating information about the MERS corona virus outbreak is still not enough to raise awareness," Okky Asokawati stated on Tuesday.           Current news circulating in the local media about the MERS virus is considered insufficient to disseminate information related to the deadly virus threat to the public in general.          "I have not yet seen any notification notes about MERS being circulated by the government institutions to the Hajj and umra travel agents," Okky pointed out.          The Ministry of Health has already issued a warning to the people, especially those on a minor Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, to be alert about the MERS virus infection.          "They have all been notified, including the will-be minor Hajj pilgrims and travel agents," Health Minister Nafsiah Mboi remarked.         To prevent the spread of the disease in Indonesia, the government intensified its efforts to raise awareness and offer guidance in preventing the spread of the MERS-CoV infection among the Indonesian people.          "The Office of the Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare will coordinate the effort to exchange data and information to reinforce a fast response and integrated surveillance when a MERS-CoV case is found in Indonesia," Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono remarked last week.           In addition, the Central Executive Board of IDI (PB-IDI) has set up a MERS-CoV research team, comprising members from the Assembly of Professional Service Development (MPPK) and associations of relevant specialist doctors, such as the Indonesian Internists Association (PAPDI), Lung Specialists Association (PDPI), Indonesian Pediatricians Association (IDAI), and the Indonesian Gynecologist and Obstetricians Association (POGI).           The team will draft a fact sheet on the MERS-CoV virus for doctors and provide the latest information on the disease for the people. It will be distributed through the regional branches of IDI and can also be downloaded through the Internet, Zaenal stated.***3*** (T.A014/INE/H-YH) EDITED BY INE (T.A014/A/BESSR/A/Yosep) 15-05-2014 17:46