Swine flu fears have led health officials in Arab states to decree that the very young, the elderly and those with chronic health conditions may not attend this year's hajj, the pilgrimage devout Muslims can take to Saudi Arabia each year, the Associated Press reported.
In a meeting held Wednesday, the ministers decided against an outright cancellation of the annual hajj, which draws millions of Muslims to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in late November. Instead, the ministers hope that by excluding those most vulnerable to infection they can minimize the impact of H1N1 infections that might arise with so many people coming into close contact at one time.
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