Qatar confirms its first cases of swine flu

Qatar has announced its first two cases of swine flu after two foreign children with the H1N1 virus were treated soon after arriving in the country.

The two boys, who arrived from the United States and Austria, are recovering, said the Health Minister Abdullah Bin Khalid Al Qahtani.

Meanwhile, Jordan confirmed its first cases of swine flu, after two girls recently arrived from the United States, Health Minister Nayef al-Fayez told a news conference.

"We discovered two cases Monday," Reuters reported the minister as saying. "Two Jordanian girls, an 11-year-old and a 17-year-old, who were both in the United States and had arrived last week."

Qatar News Agency reported that the first case was a two year-old boy, who came from New Zealand, arriving in Doha on Saturday. He was traveling with his parents who are residing in the country.

He was diagnosed with swine flu early on Tuesday after showing symptoms two days after his arrival. He was admitted to the local hospital at Al Sadd, where he was treated.

The second case was a two-and-a-half-years old American boy, who came from New York. He arrived in Doha on Sunday, accompanied by four family members and was diagnosed and treated at the airport.

The Supreme Council for Health urged people who traveled on either the Emirates Airlines flight no 843 on Saturday from Dubai, or the Qatar Airways flight no 084 from New York on Sunday, to visit their nearest hospital if any flu-like systems are felt.

The number of cases of swine flu in Saudi Arabia has risen to 14, following a further three being confirmed by health chiefs on Tuesday.

READERS' COMMENTS

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM