Residents in Kamil, a governorate northeast of Makkah, are demanding government intervention amid fears that the swine flu has spread across their neighborhood following the death a 27-year-old Saudi woman in the area two days ago.
The victim had been diagnosed with swine flu at Hera General Hospital, a leading hospital in Makkah, after being diagnosed with pneumonia and respiratory failure at a local hospital.
Many residents have said that several patients who had died at the same hospital had been suffering from similar symptoms as the latest victim.
Mohammad Al-Othaini, the woman’s father, said his daughter had experienced fever, acute coughing fits and diarrhea when she was first admitted.
“My daughter remained hospitalized for four days, but we had transferred her to a private hospital in Usfan when her condition worsened,” he said. “She was given painkillers after undergoing testing.”
“Her condition took a turn for the worse, so we took her to Al-Kamil Hospital and then to a hospital in Makkah,” he said. “We had to wait for two hours outside the hospital for the ambulance driver to transport us to Hera General Hospital, where she was diagnosed with swine flu and died a few days later."
“The Ministry of Health has still not sent a medical team and infection specialists to the governorate to check for other cases,” said Al-Othaini. “Medical personnel from Makkah’s Health Affairs must come to the area before the disease spreads because our local hospital is not equipped to diagnose the disease.”
“My daughter was the first patient to be diagnosed with this type of flu at Hera Hospital,” he said.
The Al-Eqtesadiah newspaper spoke with local residents, who have called on the Makkah governorate to save them from negligence. They have also demanded an investigation into "a series of misdiagnoses" at local hospitals.
A local official, however, has denied the existence of other cases and said that this is a one-off case.
Al-Kamil Hospital is a general hospital that contains a comprehensive array of medical specialties and lab equipment, he said. Certain cases, however, are referred to Makkah when infectious diseases are suspected.
“This is the third such case to reach our hospital,” said Walid Hussein, director of the Hera General Hospital. “One patient was treated and discharged, while the other patient is still in hospital.”
The victim had been diagnosed with swine flu at Hera General Hospital, a leading hospital in Makkah, after being diagnosed with pneumonia and respiratory failure at a local hospital.
Many residents have said that several patients who had died at the same hospital had been suffering from similar symptoms as the latest victim.
Mohammad Al-Othaini, the woman’s father, said his daughter had experienced fever, acute coughing fits and diarrhea when she was first admitted.
“My daughter remained hospitalized for four days, but we had transferred her to a private hospital in Usfan when her condition worsened,” he said. “She was given painkillers after undergoing testing.”
“Her condition took a turn for the worse, so we took her to Al-Kamil Hospital and then to a hospital in Makkah,” he said. “We had to wait for two hours outside the hospital for the ambulance driver to transport us to Hera General Hospital, where she was diagnosed with swine flu and died a few days later."
“The Ministry of Health has still not sent a medical team and infection specialists to the governorate to check for other cases,” said Al-Othaini. “Medical personnel from Makkah’s Health Affairs must come to the area before the disease spreads because our local hospital is not equipped to diagnose the disease.”
“My daughter was the first patient to be diagnosed with this type of flu at Hera Hospital,” he said.
The Al-Eqtesadiah newspaper spoke with local residents, who have called on the Makkah governorate to save them from negligence. They have also demanded an investigation into "a series of misdiagnoses" at local hospitals.
A local official, however, has denied the existence of other cases and said that this is a one-off case.
Al-Kamil Hospital is a general hospital that contains a comprehensive array of medical specialties and lab equipment, he said. Certain cases, however, are referred to Makkah when infectious diseases are suspected.
“This is the third such case to reach our hospital,” said Walid Hussein, director of the Hera General Hospital. “One patient was treated and discharged, while the other patient is still in hospital.”
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