Pilgrims in good condition, claims MoH

Saeed Al-Khotani
Saudi Gazette

RIYADH — The Ministry of Health assured citizens and residents of the Kingdom that pilgrims are in great health and that the general health condition in the Holy City is excellent.

“The close surveillance studies at the ports of entries and at mosques in Makkah hasn’t indicated any signs of unusual health conditions and no communicable or infectious diseases were detected among them. They are in very good health condition,” said Khalid Marghalani, the spokesman of the Ministry of Health, on Wednesday.

Marghalani said that health facilities in Makkah have offered their services to 16,000 pilgrims including residents during the first 20 days of Ramadan.

The spokesman added that according to the directives of Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, Minister of Health, authorities in the Holy City had mobilized their best resources, equipment and healthcare manpower to serve pilgrims.

The embassies and consulates of the Kingdom around the world have issued around five million Umrah visas this year. Of this figure, almost two million are expected to visit the Kingdom during Ramadan.

Marghalani said the Health Information and Awareness Center at the ministry advised pilgrims to take a number of precautions including having sufficient quantities of medicines.

“Pilgrims are told to stay hydrated, avoid crowds as much as possible, and use an umbrella to avoid heat exhaustion.”