Saudi Arabia has decided to limit the number of pilgrims to Mecca from COVID-19
The Ministry of Hajj of Saudi Arabia, which deals with issues of pilgrimage in the country, has decided to limit the number of visitors to Mecca this year. On the 22nd of June, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The Ministry said that they suspend the entry of pilgrims, Umrah (lesser pilgrimage associated with a visit to Mecca. – “GORDON”) in the country in connection with the spread of the pandemic COVID-19. This year to visit a Muslim Shrine will be only a small number of foreigners who live in Saudi Arabia.
Also, the authorities noted that the pilgrimage should take place in a safe way in compliance with all preventive measures and social distancing.
Pilgrimage to Mecca is the fifth pillar of Islam after Shahada (the testimony of faith in Allah), prayers (Salat), alms (zakat) and fasting (sawm).
According to data from the American Johns Hopkins University in Saudi Arabia confirmed by 161 thousand cases COVID-19, 1300 people died. The total number of infected people in the world has exceeded 9.1 million, of which more than 4.5 million recovered, and 472,5 thousand died.
Flash COVID-19 began in late 2019 in China. March 11, 2020, the world health organization declared the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.