Saudi Gazette report MINA – The numbers of pilgrims this year increased by eight percent compared to the previous year, according to Director General of the Statistics and Information Department Muhanna Bin Abdulkareem Al-Muhanna. He said that 64.3 percent of pilgrims were male and 35.7 percent were female. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from all over the world, grouped by nationality, stoned the devil Saturday, the first day of Tashreeq. The Department of Analyses and Forecasts at the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment said that weather in Makkah and Mina will be clear in general. The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health for Preventive Medicine, Dr. Ziad Meimish, said that the health conditions of pilgrims so far was satisfactory, stressing that no epidemic or quarantine diseases have been reported. In a statement, he pointed out that the Ministry of Health continues monitoring and following up the health condition of pilgrims in the field and through the center of control at the Ministry of Health. Meanwhile, 300 workers of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques' Affairs are working day and night to make sure that the courtyards of the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the nearby facilities are ready to receive pilgrims. There are several teams monitoring barber shops and working to curb begging. Six guidance offices have been set up at different locations in the courtyards and over 120 signs have been put up in three languages: Arabic, Urdu, and English. The signs advise pilgrims against disturbing other pilgrims while they are performing prayer and urge them to keep the courtyards clean. Pilgrims can keep their belongings at one of the 1356 security boxes around the courtyards.
