With up to two million people expected in Saudi Arabia over the next five months, officials across the region are urging pilgrims to delay performing the hajj or omra pilgrimage this year due to the recent outbreak of swine flu. Both holy cities, Mecca and Medina, are on full alert after an Egyptian woman died of the new H1N1 flu virus after falling ill while on a Muslim religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. The woman suffered from a pre-existing heart ailment due to rheumatic fever. She developed fly symptoms on July 11th and was treated in Saudi Arabia but did not respond to treatment. The H1N1 virus has been diagnosed in tens of thousands of people since April and has filled more than 430 people. SOURCE: ArabianBusiness.com:
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/562427-swine-flu-kills-egyptian-on-saudi-pilgrimage

Travel and tourism group pledges SAR 510,000 in support of its Egyptian operators

The Elaf Group of Companies, a pioneer in the Saudi Arabian travel, tourism and hospitality sectors and a subsidiary of the Saudi Economic Development Company, recently conducted a seminar outlining precautions to be taken against the AH1N1 virus in preparation for the upcoming period of Hajj and Umrah. Read the full story