Risks of Goat Flu not High : GCC Official

Riyadh, December 19, SPA -- The Director General of Executive Board of Health
Ministerial Council of The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Dr. Tawfiq bin Ahmed
Khoja has stressed that the Goat Flu recently surfaced in the Netherlands is not
considered an epidemic disease or does not constitute high risks at the present
time.


He pointed out that the disease is caused by bacteria coming out of pregnant goats
suffering from self-abortion, adding that the disease can be transmitted by
contacting the infected goats.


Dr. Khoja noted that Goat Flu is currently confined to the Netherlands where it has
infected nearly 2, 300 people, which included the death of 6 persons.
--SPA 11:44 LOCAL TIME 08:44 GMT NNNN