The World Health Organization says the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, which is known as Corona virus, still represents a serious health hazard. The organization adds that this virus, along with another similar one, continues to be caused by camels. The disease is worrying for the countries of the Gulf if it really proves to be caused by these lovely animals.
The latest report of the World Health Organization refers to a decline in virus infections, noting that the virus does not represent an international emergency any more. Even with this, the organisation says most of the infections come from Saudi Arabia.
Most Gulf families, which are packing up now to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform the annual Haj ritual, are starting to worry. Most of these families take their cars and drive toward the holy sites in Saudi Arabia. Some of them eventually meet the lovely camels as they drive through the vast lands of Saudi Arabia. The camels are usually seen running alongside most of the roads leading to Makkah.
This is one reason why supervision has been tightened between the GCC countries in collaboration with the international organisation to prevent the spread of the virus. Passports were issued for camels to prevent the entry of unregistered ones.
Qatar has reported nine Corona virus cases, including five who died. No more cases were reported in the country since late last year. There is coordination between the Supreme Council of Health and Saudi authorities, official sources say. They add that this coordination would start from now and continue until the end of the pilgrimage season. The deal in this regard opens the door for the presence of quarantines as well as doctors. Suspected cases among the pilgrims will also be referred to a hospital.
The question that arises now is: How are people being infected by the Corona virus? The WHO says it does not know how this happens. The organisation adds that it is investigating at present about the source of the virus.
Even with this, the organisation says man will not likely contract the virus by coming in touch with an infected camel. It adds that a very small number of patients said they had come in contact with camels. This underlines the need for more investigation on new cases.
Our camels are in danger. The fear is that they turn to be dangerous themselves and that they are the prime suspect behind carrying this deadly virus. The authorities have taken strict measures for preventing the import of camels from the GCC countries. Camels suspected to be carrying the virus are also quarantined for 30 days. Sorry to say, studies have shown that the virus continues to exist among the camels under study in Qatar.
It is difficult for us to accept that our camels carry this fatal virus. Camels are part of our history and heritage. We enjoy eating their tasty meat and drinking their healthy milk. We also enjoy riding them. But the people of the desert are likely to be deprived of all this. They will be deprived of practising their coveted hobby of riding the camels in special camel races.
The latest data coming from the WHO says that some birds might be behind the spread of the virus. This means that we need to search for these birds in order to prove to the world that our camels are innocent.
