Hoteliers briefed on flu readiness

The hotel industry in the emirate was yesterday briefed on preparations to combat swine flu by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), in co-operation with the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

The presentation, held at the Rashid Hospital auditorium, was followed by a question and answer session by Dr Saif Ahmed Darwish, community medical physician, and Dr Hassan Shouri, consultant on infectious diseases.

More than 300 professionals from Dubai's hospitality industry attended. Also attending were Ibrahim Yaqoot, DTCM's Executive Director for Corporate Support; Khalid bin Touq, its Executive Director Licensing and Classification; Dr Ali Al Sayed, Director of the Pharmaceutical Services Department at DHA and Ameera Jokha?dar, Head of Tourism Industry Relations at DTCM. Bin Touq welcomed participants and thanked the DHA for their prompt response to the DTCM's request for organising the presentation as part of efforts to increase awareness about the disease and to safeguard public health.

The presentation included a history of the disease, methods of transmission, how to handle infected patients and prevention. Participants were also presented with literature in English about the H1N1 virus and ways to prevent the disease.

DHA officials said the World Health Organisation (WHO), on June 11, declared the new strain of H1N1 as a global pandemic, and by August 4, the numbers of confirmed swine flu cases in 18 Arab countries reached 2,187, with seven deaths reported so far.

The DHA said committees were working to counter the threat of swine flu in the country and increase public awareness about the disease.

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