The Saudi Arabia authorities are gearing up for the 2020 Holy Pilgrimage but unlike what the Muslim world are used to, this year would be exclusive only for Saudi Arabians due to the global covid-19 pandemic.
Annually, Mecca and Medina welcome over 2 million pilgrims from around the world for the once in a year weeklong religious rituals. With the country still battling covid-19 the Government said only residents of the kingdom would be privileged to observe the pilgrimage this year.
According to the kingdom’s Hajj Minister, Mohammad Benten, the government would work out the number of overall pilgrims that would be allowed to access the Holy sites. He said the number could be around a thousand but the “numbers won’t be in tens or hundreds of thousands”.
Another government official said pilgrims would be mandated to test for Coronavirus before arriving in Mecca and they will also be required to quarantine at home after the ritual. In addition to the protocol, anyone over the age of 65 or with chronic illnesses would not be allowed to perform the Hajj.
Saudi Arabia has had 161,000 cases of Coronavirus with 1,300 deaths recorded. The country recently lifted a three-month 24-hour curfew but International travel is still banned.
Prior to this development, some countries had already barred their citizens from participating in the rituals. Malaysia, Indonesia Germany are few of the countries that restricted traveling for the pilgrimage.
The decision of the Malaysian government would affect over thirty thousand intending pilgrims.
Also earlier in June, Indian Hajj Committee announced that it would provide refunds to all the pilgrims as a result of the inability of attending Hajj this year.
Globally, over 10 millions confirmed cases have been recorded with half a million death from every part of the world.
