UAE says testing man suspected of having H1N1 flu
DUBAI (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates has placed a air passenger who arrived from Canada in isolation because of concerns he may have H1N1 flu, the Health Ministry said on Thursday.
"A passenger who arrived in Abu Dhabi from Canada was put in isolation after he was suspected of having the swine flu," the ministry said, quoted by the state news agency WAM.
The passenger was undergoing medical checks, it said.
The World Health Organisation chief said on Thursday she would not hesitate to raise the global pandemic alert to the top of the six-point scale if the new H1N1 flu is spreading globally.
The flu has killed 85 people and infected more than 11,000 in 41 countries, according to the WHO.
Although large pockets have appeared outside its North American stronghold, with infections rising quickly in Japan and clusters seen in Britain and Spain, the WHO has so far kept its alert level at 5 which means a pandemic is "imminent".
India confirmed a case last week of a man who flew to India from the United States via Dubai on UAE airline Emirates.
No Gulf Arab country has reported any cases of the flu. The UAE is the Middle East's main air travel hub.
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