O 071547Z JUN 09
FM AMCONSUL DHAHRAN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0159
CDC ATLANTA GA IMMEDIATE 0001
INFO GCC C COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY RIYADH IMMEDIATE 
AMCONSUL JEDDAH IMMEDIATE 
AMCONSUL DHAHRAN

UNCLAS DHAHRAN 000124 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR OPS CENTER 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, OES/UHB, MED 
 
DPEARTMENT FOR CA/OSC/ACS/NESCA - E.STOTT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU TBIO CASC SA
SUBJECT: CASE OF H1N1 CONFIRMED IN DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA 
 
¶1.  Consular Chief received a call from Emir Prince Mohammed's 
Chief of Staff  Hussan AlJasser at around 11:30 this morning 
asking us to receive a five-member team from the Ministry of 
Health.  The team, it was explained, was on the way to the 
Consulate as they had reports that a Saudi, Qutaibah Feher S. 
Al-Sharif, age 22, with a confirmed case of the H1N1 virus was 
in the Consulate applying for a visa.  The Ministry of Health 
was concerned about the virus infecting Consulate employees. 
 
¶2.  It was quickly determined that applicant was still in the 
waiting room and had not been interviewed.  Consular section 
staff handed out face masks and alcohol wipes to the remaining 
four applicants, local guard, and a FedEx employee in waiting 
room as the team from the Min. of Health arrived. 
 
¶3.  The team doctor, Dr. Waheeb Al-Jazar, spoke with the 
consular chief, consulate nurse, and waiting room, and gave 
further details as to why they were here.  The team first 
examined the infected applicant, gave him a face mask and 
escorted him out.  He was taken to the Dammam Central Hospital 
where the team doctor informed us he would be kept under 
quarantine for at least five days.  The team then swabbed 
everyone in the waiting room, as noted above, as well as 
consular section staff. 
 
¶4.  Consulate took the following actions/responses: 
 
-- Consulate nurse contacted Regional Medical Officer in Riyadh. 
 Her mobile phone was    passed to Dr. Al-Jazar in the waiting 
room in order for them to converse. 
 
-- Consular Chief spoke with RMO afterwards and was told that 
since test results from swabs were going to be available in 24 
hours, this indicated the lab tests were only for the common 
Influenza A and B viruses, and not the H1N1 "sub-virus." 
 
-- A/RSO called the State Operations Center and spoke with M and 
MED, informing them we had a Saudi national in the consular 
waiting room with a "suspected" case of the H1N1 virus. 
 
-- The American Citizens Services unit was closed for the 
afternoon.  The guards at the Pedestrian Access Control (PAC) 
will be monitored and swabbed at a later time, if necessary. 
 
-- Consular Nurse and Management Assistant assisted and oversaw 
char force in Consular waiting room to ensure all areas were 
cleaned with bleach water. 
 
¶5. Visa applicant with the confirmed case of the H1N1 virus was 
a returning student from the Catholic University of America in 
Washington, D.C.  He arrived in Kingdom on a flight into Jeddah 
with an unknown point of origin or transit.  Applicant was swab 
tested for the H1N1 virus after being detected with temperature 
sensors at airport upon arrival.  We are continuing to try and 
contact the Ministry of Health to find out flight information. 
 
¶6.  Recommendation: 
 
Department may wish to contact Catholic University officials 
with the student's name and medical condition to determine if 
others in the university community were exposed.  We will 
continue to monitor consulate staff in the days to come. 
 
 
JAKENNY 
 
RWERDMAN 
KENNY