Saudi Arabia has passed the 200,000 mark infected with the new coronavirus, the Saudi Minister of Health announced a few weeks before the start of the hajj, the great pilgrimage to Mecca.
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The Arab country most affected by the Gulf recorded 201,801 contaminations including 4,193 new cases identified on Friday, and 1,802 deaths in total, according to official figures. Of those with Covid-19 disease, 140,614 have recovered. To contain the pandemic of the new coronavirus, Saudi Arabia announced ten days ago that it would accept only 1000 faithful living on its territory for the hajj scheduled for late July.
An exceptional measure in a country that usually welcomes millions of pilgrims (2.5 million in 2019), the vast majority of whom come from abroad. The pilgrimage will also be limited to the faithful under 65 years of age and not suffering from chronic illnesses.
Pilgrims will be tested before their arrival in Mecca, the first holy place of Islam, and will have to undergo a quarantine at their home after the end of the ritual. The rules of hygiene and physical distance will be observed during the hajj, a pillar of Islam.
Cases of contamination are on the rise as well as deaths since the country eased movement restrictions in the territory at the end of May. International flights remain suspended to and from Saudi Arabia.
