Saudi Arabia bans Hajj visitors from abroad

Saudi Arabia will block foreign pilgrims from performing Hajj for the second year in a row amid Covid restrictions, it announced on Saturday.

Some 60,000 vaccinated Saudi nationals and residents under the age of 65 will be allowed to perform this year’s Hajj but Muslims from abroad will be barred.

In 2019, 2.5 million people made the five-day annual pilgrimage, packed into religious sites, which could be a major source of contagion if held now.