Haj to be held with limited number of resident pilgrims

People venture out at night after lockdown comes to an end in kingdom

Gulf News Report

Saudi Arabia announces that Haj will be held this year but with a very limited number of pilgrims and in compliance with precautionary measures including a ban on older pilgrims and additional health checks.

Only Saudis and expatriate residents from various nationalities are allowed to perform the Haj rituals this year, as a precautionary measure to avoid crowds and stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Saudi authorities said the decision is in line with the keenness of Kingdom’s leadership to ensure the public safety amid the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus.

The pilgrimage, which is scheduled for late July this year, is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, with more than 2.5 million pilgrims visiting Islam’s holiest sites in Makkah and Madinah for the weeklong Haj.

Saudi Arabia asked Muslims in March to put their Haj plans on hold and suspended Umrah until further notice.

Meanwhile, people in Saudi Arabia ventured out on Sunday night for the first time in three months to celebrate the end of a nationwide coronavirus curfew, dining out, cruising on motorcycles and walking pets after the daytime heat subsided.

However, the kingdom yesterday reported 3,393 new cases, bringing the total number of infections to 161,005, the Ministry of Health announced. The ministry also confirmed 40 deaths, taking the toll of dead in the Kingdom to 1,307.

Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health announced that 1,034 more people have tested positive, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 88,304. The ministry confirmed one more fatality, taking the death toll to 99.

Oman confirmed record 1,605 further cases, raising to 31,076 the country’s overall infections, the Omani news agency ONA reported. The ministry also reported six more deaths, taking total to 137.

Kuwait has confirmed 641 new cases over the past 24 hours, raising the country’s infection tally to 40,291, the Kuwaiti news agency KUNA reported yesterday. The Health Ministry also reported four more deaths, bringing the total such fatalities in Kuwait to 330.