Saudi government will not allow adults over 65 and children under 12 this year to come for Hajj. Furthermore, all the pilgrims will have to show proof they’ve received flu shots at home. These conditions came after consultations with top international experts in the field,No one will be able to get a visa without fulfilling these new rules.

About three million people every year to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina to perform Hajj. Saudi Arabia has taken steps to allay fears that the mass gathering could speed the spread of swine flu.

Symptoms
According to the CDC, like seasonal flu, symptoms of swine flu infections can include fever, which is usually high, cough, runny nose or stuffy nose, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue or tiredness, which can be extreme and diarrhea and vomiting (sometimes)

 Preventive Measures:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

Muslims gather in the mosques five times a day for prayers. It is important that if any Muslim brother or sister who have the symptoms of swine flu should try not to come to mosque to avoid possiblity of spreading it to other brothers and sisters. Imams should educate the community members about swine flu to prevent the spread of this contagious disease.

JERUSALEM (AP) — The outbreak of swine flu should be renamed “Mexican” influenza in deference to Muslim and Jewish sensitivities over pork, said an Israeli health official Monday.

Deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman said the reference to pigs is offensive to both religions and “we should call this Mexican flu and not swine flu,” he told a news conference at a hospital in central Israel.

Both Judaism and Islam consider pigs unclean and forbid the eating of pork products.

Scientists are unsure where the new swine flu virus originally emerged, though it was identifed first in the United States. They say there is nothing about the virus that makes it “Mexican” and worry such a label would be stigmatizing.

Two Israelis who recently visited Mexico have been hospitalized with symptoms of the flu. Health authorities have not yet confirmed whether they actually have the virus.

The current strain of swine flu is thought to have originated in Mexico where more than 100 people have been killed by the disease so far.

Laboratories in the U.S. and Canada have confirmed that of the samples tested so far, the swine flu virus in Mexico and U.S. appear to be the same.

Souce

I am surprised that Israeli officials are using Islam also to point out that swine flu is offensive. However, would like to thank them for at least speaking out at this matter.