ROADTOWN Tortola BVI, October 4th, 2011  – The Ministry of Health and Social Development is advising of new health requirements for travellers to Hajj-Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

In a statement issued by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health, the following health requirements and recommendations for yellow fever, meningococcal meningitis, poliomyelitis and season influenza are necessary to obtain entry visas for the Hajj and 2011 pilgrimage seasons.

In accordance with the International Health Regulations 2005, all travelers arriving from countries or areas at risk of yellow fever must present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate showing that the person was vaccinated at least 10 days previously, and not more than 10 years before arrival at the border.

In the absence of a certificate, the individual will be placed under strict surveillance for six days from the date of vaccination, or the last date of potential exposure to infection, whichever is earlier.

The following countries or areas are at risk of yellow fever transmission: most African states, Argentina, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Plurinational State of Bolivia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

Aircrafts, ships and other means of transportation coming from these countries are requested to submit a certificate indicating that it applied disinsection in accordance with methods recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

International visitors arriving for the purpose of pilgrimage or for seasonal work, are required to produce a certificate of vaccination with the quadrivalent (ACYW135) vaccine against meningococcal meningitis, issued not more than three years previously, and not less than 10 days before arrival in Saudi Arabia. The responsible authorities in the country of origin should ensure that adults and children over the age of two years are given one dose of the quadrivalent polysaccharide (ACYW135) vaccine.

In addition to the above requirements, for arrivals from most African States, chemoprophylaxis will be administered at port of entry to lower the carriers rate among them. Adults will receive ciprofloxacin tablets (500 mg), children will receive rifampicin, and pregnant women will receive ceftriaxone injections.

All travellers arriving from polio-endemic countries and re-established transmission countries, namely Afghanistan, Angola, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Sudan, should receive one dose of oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV). Proof of OPV vaccination at least six weeks prior departure is required to apply for an entry visa for Saudi Arabia.

These travelers will also receive one dose of OPV at borders points on arrival in Saudi Arabia. All visitors under 15 years travelling to Saudi Arabia from countries with imported cases of poliomyelitis in the past 12 months should be vaccinated against poliomyelitis with the OPV.

Before arrival into the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia recommends that international pilgrims, especially persons with pre-existing conditions, such as elderly persons over 65 years; persons with neurological or metabolic diseases; chronic respiratory or heart diseases; hepatic or renal failure; diabetes; obesity; immunodeficiency caused by HIV or cancer treatment and pregnant women, be vaccinated against seasonal influenza with WHO approved strains specific to the northern or southern hemispheres,

Persons planning to travel to Saudi Arabia should contact the Road Town Clinic or their health provider for more information on the required vaccines.

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