PA (Palestinian Authority) officials report a first fatality resulting from swine flu, a male in his 30s who died on Friday, in Ramallah. The victim recently returned from a visit to Saudi Arabia, the report states.

PA health officials have released a directive prohibiting residents at higher risk from visiting Mecca.

The daily Yisrael HaYom reports Saudi officials have decided that anyone dying of swine flu will be declared a Shahid, possibly a step aimed at combating panic that may resulted from the disease in Arab nations.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)