Riyadh, 29th July 2020: The five-day annual Hajj will begin in Makkah, Saudi Arabia today with a drastically reduced number of pilgrims.
According to reports of Baaghi TV, this year’s Hajj will witness a number of 10,000 pilgrims, which drastically fell from last year’s 2.5 million.
The Saudi Kingdom has introduced safety precautions with a mandatory quarantine starting from Tuesday.
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The Saudi Kingdom initially allowed only around 1,000 pilgrims residing in the kingdom to perform Hajj but local media reports say as many as 10,000 will be allowed to take part. As per reports, around 70% of the pilgrims are foreigners residing in the Kingdom, while the rest are the Saudi citizens.
According to the Saudi media ministry, non-Saudi residents of the kingdom from around 160 countries competed in the online selection process.
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The pilgrims selected to perform Hajj was subjected to strict safety protocols including temperature checks and staying in quarantine from Tuesday as they started arriving in Makkah since the weekend.
State media showed health workers sanitizing their luggage, and some pilgrims reported being given electronic wristbands to allow authorities to monitor their whereabouts.
https://youtu.be/_WcFycRnw6Y
The pilgrims were required to be tested for coronavirus before arriving in Makkah and will also have to quarantine after the pilgrimage as the number of cases in the kingdom nears 270,000 — one of the largest outbreaks in the Middle East.
They were given elaborate amenity kits that include sterilized pebbles for a stoning ritual, disinfectants, masks, a prayer rug, and the ihram, the seamless white garment worn by pilgrims, according to a Hajj ministry program document.
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The Hajj authorities have cordoned the Kaaba this year, not allowing the pilgrims to touch it in order to contain the spread of the infection.
According to AFP, it is believed that the Hajj was last completely canceled in 1798 when Napoleon’s invasion of the region made it unsafe for pilgrims to travel to Makkah.
Stay tuned to Baaghi TV for more news and updates!
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