Oman on Wednesday confirmed three cases of the H1N1 pandemic but advised residents not to panic as the three Omani students returning from the United States had been provided with treatment.
"Three Omani students returned to Muscat last Saturday (June 13) after a year-long course at a US university and all three have been found be carrying the H1N1 virus," a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health told Gulf News.
However, authorities did not reveal the identity of the three students. Additionally, these are the first H1N1 infections noted in the country. None of the students were found to be carrying the virus when they arrived at Muscat International Airport. This was despite the thermal scanners in place to detect passengers carrying the H1N1 virus.
"The students were called up for check-ups after cases of students in the other GCC countries were detected," the official said.
The health ministry added that the students detected with the virus in another GCC country, which was not named, studied at the same institution as the Omani students.
"All these students went to the same university so the Omani pupils were also called for check-ups," the spokesperson said.
A health ministry statement written in Arabic stressed that there was no need to worry as the symptoms exhibited by the three students were not serious.
"They are at home and being treated with proper medication," the statement read.
Meanwhile, a team of international health consultants has arrived in Muscat to boost Oman's preparedness against the pandemic.
The three experts are from the US Research Centre in Cairo and the Disease Control Centre in Georgia, United States. They will analyse health ministry steps to combat the virus
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