Hajj pilgrimage not decided yet- Saudi minister | Daily News

Hajj pilgrimage not decided yet- Saudi minister

In the wake of the rapid spread of Covid-19, Saudi Arabia has urged the world’S Muslims to wait until there is more clarity about the coronavirus pandemic before planning to attend the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

Minister Dr. Muhammad Salih bin Taher Banten said the Kingdom is ready to serve pilgrims in any case but that priority is keeping them safe.

"We've asked the world not to rush with regard to Hajj groups until the path of the epidemic becomes clear, keeping in mind the safety of pilgrims and public health as a priority,"Dr. Muhammad Taher Banten said in Riyadh on Tuesday.

"We have coordinated with the Ministry of Health an inspection tour of hotels that were used for health isolation to ensure that all services and care are provided to pilgrims," he added.

The largest annual gathering of Muslims is scheduled to begin in late July, but the coronavirus outbreak and Saudi Arabia’s lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus has raised questions about whether it can go ahead.

The Kingdom has already suspended Umrah pilgrimage until further notice, halted all international passenger flights indefinitely and last week blocked entry and exit to several cities, including Makkah and Madinah.

There have been 10 deaths reported among 1,563 cases of coronavirus in Saudi Arabia, which has infected some 800,000 people globally and killed more than 40,000.

The largest annual gathering of Muslims is scheduled to begin in late July, but the coronavirus outbreak has raised questions about whether it can or should go ahead given the risk of spreading the disease further in large gatherings.

Some 2.5 million pilgrims from around the world usually flock to the holiest sites of Islam in Makkah and Madinah for the week-long ritual.

Cancelling the Hajj would be unprecedented in modern times, but curbing attendance from high-risk areas has happened before, including in recent years during the Ebola outbreak.

 


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