Coronavirus: Scaled back Hajj pilgrimage due to begin in Saudi Arabia

The annual Hajj pilgrimage usually performed by Muslims close to the globe commences on Wednesday, radically scaled back again simply because of coronavirus.

Saudi Arabia has banned worldwide visitors from producing the journey to Mecca, to consider to curb the pandemic.

Only citizens from other nations around the world who are already resident in the kingdom will be permitted to attend this 12 months.

About two million folks usually take part, but this year no much more than 10,000 are envisioned to attend.

Individuals allowed to consider portion in this year’s Hajj have been topic to temperature checks and virus tests as they commenced arriving in Mecca at the weekend, the AFP news agency studies.

Worshippers will also have to quarantine prior to and following the pilgrimage, AFP reviews.

In an interview with Saudi-funded al-Arabiya Tv set before this 7 days, Minister for Pilgrimage Affairs Mohammed Saleh Binten stated pilgrims were being quarantined in their properties in advance of a even more four days of quarantine in hotels in Mecca.

Of people using section, 30% are stated to be Saudi citizens while the remainder are non-Saudis resident in the kingdom.

The kingdom has recorded more than 270,000 circumstances with virtually 3,000 deaths, 1 of the greatest outbreaks in the Middle East.

The nation only lifted a nationwide lockdown past thirty day period. Challenging limits to tackle the distribute of infections arrived into force in March, which includes 24-hour curfews in most towns and cities.

What is the Hajj?

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Creating the pilgrimage at the very least as soon as is one particular of the Five Pillars of Islam – the 5 obligations that each and every Muslim, who is in very good overall health and can find the money for it, have to satisfy in get to stay a excellent and liable existence, according to Islam.

Pilgrims get in Mecca to stand before the framework identified as the Kaaba, praising Allah (God) with each other.

They accomplish other acts of worship much too, renewing their sense of reason in the entire world.