Islam's hajj: rain and fears of swine flu The Associated Press

26.11.09

JIDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Muslim pilgrims circled Islam's holiest place Wednesday in their traditional white robes, with a few additions — umbrellas and face masks — as the start-up of the annual hajj was complicated by torrential rains and fears of swine flu.

Saudi authorities have been planning ways for months to govern the spread of swine flu during the pilgrimage, which is seen as an incubator for the virus. The four-day event is one of the most crowded in the world, with more than 3 million people from every corner of the Terra packed shoulder to shoulder in prayers and rites.

Now they are scrambling to deal with sudden, unexpected downpours that could heighten one of the gathering's perennial dangers: deadly stampedes.

In 2006, all it took was a dropped piece of impedimenta to trip up a crowd and cause a pileup that killed more than 360 people at one of the holy sites. The rains also could about flash floods or mudslides in the desert mountains where most of the rites take place.

Source:

176 cases of swine flu reported in Delhi Thursday

NEW DELHI - At least 176 cases of swine flu were reported in the country-wide capital Thursday - the highest for a single day - taking the number of people affected with influenza A (H1N1) virus to 5,417, a form department official said “At least 176 positive cases of swine flu were reported in the ... Read this article on Gaea Times at : 176 cases of swine flu reported in Delhi Thursday.

Source: Health News

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