DOHA: While Saudi Arabia has confirmed the death of four Haj pilgrims due to H1N1, the Qatari Haj Mission has said that all pilgrims from Qatar had so far remained safe from the decease.

“ Our clinic in Makkah has not received any H1N1 cases until now nor we have referred any such cases to the Saudi hospitals,” Dr Abdussalam Al Qahtani, head of the medical team accompanying the Qatari Haj mission told Al Sharq daily yesterday.

He said the Qatari medical team had come across only normal cases among the pilgrims such as chest pain, chest infections, normal flu and skin ailments. These patients have been given medication and treatment.

He said all Haj contractors (Muqawils) had been asked to promptly report any suspected H1N1 cases among their respective groups of pilgrims.

“ We treat such cases in our clinic and if they need more specialised treatment we refer them to the Saudi hospitals. The Muqawils themselves can take a patient to the hospital, if the case is serious. However, they have to promptly inform the Haj Mission about such incidents,” said Al Qahtani. He reassured that the Mission will not hide any H1N1 cases, if they occur, from relatives of the pilgrims in Qatar.