Riyadh, October 02: Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday four new deaths from swine flu, taking to seven the number of fatalities recorded in one week and to at least 35 the total for the kingdom.
The four included three Saudis and one foreigner, who were not identified.
On Tuesday, three deaths were reported from the A(H1N1) virus, all Saudis and including two youths in the same family.
A day earlier, the government reported that it had been successful in preventing a mass outbreak of flu during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, when millions flocked to Mecca for the umrah minor pilgrimage. It said only 26 infections were reported in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
The government has postponed the beginning of the autumn school term by two weeks to be sure schools are prepared to deal with any outbreaks.
More than 4,000 people have been infected with swine flu since it first appeared in the country in early June.
According to the World Health Organisation’s Eastern Mediterranean office, as of September 26, 12,008 infections and 74 deaths from A(H1N1) flu had been reported by member states in the region, stretching from Pakistan to Morocco.
Figures from Israel and Algeria are not included in the WHO regional totals.
—Agencies