No cases of swine flu among Saudi nationals in the US have been registered, Abdullah Bin Dhafer Bin Abiyah, head of Saudi Subjects' Affairs in the Kingdom's General Consulate in Houston, Texas, has said. He said there is constant monitoring by the consulate of prominent hospitals and health centers in the 15 states coming under the consulate's jurisdiction. Bin Abiyah said in line with the directives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the consulate mobilized all its human potentials the moment swine flu started spreading in the US. In the light of this, Dr. Abdul Rahman Bin Abdullah Al-Shayea, Consul General, issued directives to form an operations room to monitor the registered cases and provide all support and care to any Saudi national who contracts the disease. Bin Abiyah pointed out that the Saudi Consulate in Houston issued a warning to Saudi nationals to take precautions to reducing the chances of contracting the virus. It also warned them to avoid crowded places, follow the mass media to learn the means of prevention and treatment and to visit the nearest medical center if they experience any of the symptoms of the disease, which are mostly the same as those of common flu – a rise in body temperature and general weakness. The consulate advised Saudi nationals to regularly visit website www.cdc.gov for the Disease Combat and Monitoring Center in order to learn the latest developments and call the consulate at number (0017137855577) at extensions 1013-1021-1022 in order to receive the necessary care and support.
