Saudi Arabia banned on Nigerian pilgrims to perform Hajj

KSA banned the pilgrims from Nigeria to perform Hajj due to the re-emergence of a deadly virus, Lassa fever. The reason behind is that the threat of virus among other pilgrims as this is spreading virus and Nigeria is the most affected country. 

Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad, the chairman of NAHCON said that Nigerian authorities are taking precautionary measures to make sure the Hajj performing for the people of Nigeria. He also added that if we overcome the virus then Saudis will be very comfortable to welcome Nigerian pilgrims as they are very accommodating and very hospitable people.

The virus is transmitted through rat droppings and urine and it has no vaccine. The World Health Organization recorded 1,081 alleged cases of Lassa fever in Africa with 90 deaths. Fourteen healthcare employees have also restrained the disease. Surrounding countries such as Sierra Leone, Mali and Liberia have also the victim of the virus. However, the Nigerian Health Ministry ensures that the country will soon get rid of Lassa virus. 

Moreover, entry is banned to travelers coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo over fears Ebola could spread during next month's Hajj pilgrimage. That’s why the WHO urged countries not to restrict trade or travel.

In the meantime, the UN said that new Ebola of DRC response coordinator is considering the use of a second vaccine after the health minister resigned over the aggressive matter. This is the first time vaccines that have been organized against the killer virus exposed in 1976. Affected areas such as Ituri and North Kivu are using the vaccine by drugmaker Merck. On the other hand WHO has suggested the introduction of a second product made by healthcare company Johnson & Johnson. It could be which could be used for populations removed from the epicenter while saving limited stocks of the Merck vaccine for the frontlines.

WHO also claimed that the US could reinforce the fight against the virus by allowing more of its experts to travel to the outbreak zone. The infection is intimidating to range to the major city of Goma or spillover DRC's border into Uganda.

Poor safety in the affected areas has vulnerable efforts to contain the outbreak and calls are growing for foreign aid agencies to deploy more staff on the ground. Ronald Klain the US Ebola response coordinator called on the White House to converse its policy of keeping US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) staff out of outbreak zones. While the UK said too many countries were using security as an excuse not to send people to the front line.

WHO currently deploys 600 staff in the field, with 200,000 person-days spent in the field in total, but emergencies Chief Mike Ryan reported that numerous agencies could intensify their efforts and deploy more persons in the field.

Ryan reported when asked about CDC's deployment, that it is a challenge to fight without your best ally at your side but our associates in CDC have delivered remarkable sustenance, not only in DRC but surrounding countries. 

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