According to the AP-HM, the French leaving for the pilgrimage to Mecca have decided to leave, even if their state of health justifies that they postpone their trip due to the coronavirus epidemic.
When faith is stronger than reason. According to an investigation by the Public Assistance-Hospitals of Marseille (AP-HM) published a few days ago in Eurosurveillance, the coronavirus epidemic does not frighten pilgrims. The French who were preparing to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca said they did not want to cancel their trip, although their health would justify postponing it due to the coronavirus epidemic.
No fragile patient said they canceled their trip
The Hajj is the largest Muslim religious gathering in the world. It started on Sunday in Mecca and will continue until Friday, October 18. This year, nearly 3 million pilgrims are expected. A record attendance that worries many countries since Saudi Arabia is currently the country most affected by the epidemic of the new coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Of the 136 confirmed cases of infections, 119 have indeed occurred in Saudi Arabia, resulting in the death of 51 people in the kingdom. In total, the virus has already killed 58 people, according to the latest World Health Organization count from October 4.
But obviously, this record, however worrying, does not scare the French pilgrims. Dr Philippe Gautret and his colleagues from the infectious diseases division of the AP-HM carried out, between August 26 and September 22, a survey of 360 people who had come to be vaccinated against meningococcus in anticipation of the Hajj. A compulsory vaccine at least 10 days before entering Saudi territory.
On this occasion, all the patients agreed to answer the questions asked by a doctor. Among those interviewed, 179 had at least one contraindication to the pilgrimage, according to Saudi recommendations. Despite this, none of them decided to postpone their pilgrimage even after “clear and simple information was given to them”, specifies Dr. Gautret to the Medical Press Agency. According to the latter, “it may be that the pilgrims did not wish to postpone their pilgrimage because they had already booked and paid for their trip. “
Only one in three worshipers knows the Saudi recommendations
In addition, 65% of pilgrims who came to consult were aware of the MERS-CoV epidemic. On the other hand, they were only a third of them to know the Saudi restriction recommendations for people most at risk of complications in the event of infection. As a reminder, last July, the Saudi Ministry of Health published recommendations relating to the health of pilgrims. It recommends that people over 65, as well as those with chronic diseases or immune deficiencies, pregnant women and children under 12, postpone their pilgrimage. The French authorities have relayed these Saudi recommendations to French pilgrims. For its part, the WHO has not issued any travel restrictions.
The Shut Down will disrupt the follow-up of the faithful upon their return
In the United States, in an article published Thursday by the news site MedPage Today, Andrew Pavia, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Utah (Salt Lake City), said he was concerned that monitoring sick pilgrims returning from Mecca is “critical”, even in the event of false alarms, because of the government’s “Shut Down”.
Indeed, 80% to 85% of the staff at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the main US government agency for public health protection, are now forced out of work, according to Barbara Reynolds, director of public affairs at the CDC. .
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