After MERS, Ebola has sent waves of fear across the community in Indonesia
Singapore: Indonesia is on high alert, taking precautions to ensure that the citizens who would be travelling to Saudi Arabia for the Haj pilgrimage are safe from Ebola. The country sends the largest group of Muslims for the annual Haj pilgrimage each year and this year, after MERS, Ebola has sent waves of fear across the community there.
However, the deadly Ebola virus has not dampened the spirits of hundreds of Muslims who are currently preparing for the trip. Health officials in the country are meanwhile briefing pilgrims on how to stay healthy and maintain proper hygiene during their three-week-long trip to Saudi Arabia.
The country's health department has further advised travelers to wear facial masks most of the time and submit their respective health alert cards. Officials also added that pilgrims should avoid direct contact with sick pilgrims or items exposed to any form of bodily fluids including blood, vomit or saliva.
Saudi Arabia recently announced the ban on pilgrims from Ebola-hit West African countries from attending this year's Haj.
The country said in an official announcement that like every year, a team of government-approved medical professionals will accompany pilgrims and monitor their health throughout the trip. Immediate measures will also be taken if a pilgrim shows symptoms of Ebola on the flight home.
Indonesia's deputy health minister, Mr Ali Ghufron Mukti said in a statement, "We have advised all our pilgrims to report and submit to monitoring constantly for two weeks after they return from Haj. If they face any symptoms similar to Ebola, we have arranged for free of charge health facilities and they are advised to go to any health facility nearest to their place."
