The Ministry of Health spokesperson, Dr. Mohamed Al-Abdali, affirmed that the health status of the pilgrims is reassuring and there are no COVID-19 cases, other public health threat-diseases or deaths among pilgrims so far. This came in the press conference for this year's Hajj season, which was held on Tuesday in Al-Awali in Makkah, with the participation of the Ministry of Interior' security spokesman, Colonel Talal Al-Shalhoub and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's official spokesman, Eng. Hisham bin Saeed. Dr. Al-Abdali said that the clinics have so far received a number of cases mostly suffering from heat exhaustion, and six successful cardiac catheterization operations were performed. He explained that the pilgrims are performing their rituals with ease while being accompanied by health services, whether clinics, centers, mobile services, or field teams to provide them with care. He pointed out that health volunteer work is available this year under professional controls, training and supervision of the tasks provided by male and female volunteers, praising their contributions to the Kingdom's balance in the field of volunteering. The health spokesperson also expressed his optimism about achieving an epidemic-free Hajj season in light of the planning, organization and implementation accompanying all the Hajj's rites. Dr. Al-Abdali stressed that the hospitals and the accompanying equipment, whether emergency, preventive or curative, were equipped at the highest levels to deal with various mild, severe, or critical health cases, supported by multiple specialties and advanced technologies, announcing the discharging of all inpatients in the Intensive Care Units. For his part, the security spokesperson at the Ministry of Interior stated that the pilgrims returned to Mina after they completed standing on the Mount of Arafat, overnighting in Muzdalifah and performed Tawaf Al-Ifadah before throwing Jamarat Al-Aqaba with ease and smooth, thus completing the first and second stages of Hajj security plans, and the implementation of the third stage related the pilgrims' staying in Mina on Tuesday and during the days of Tashreeq in which they are going to throw stones at the three Jamarat, according to the approved grouping processes, and the plans and organizations that ensure the achievement of physical distancing specified by the precautionary health procedures and measures. He stressed that the participating agencies continue to carry out their tasks to provide all services to the pilgrims during their stay in Mina until their departure on the third day of Tashreeq, and to organize their performance of the ritual stoning at Jamarat. Colonel Al-Shalhoub also revealed that the number of violators of Hajj regulations and instructions reached 356, stressing the importance of adhering to the instructions and regulations of the Hajj, to be ended on the 13th of the month of Dhu Al-Hijjah. He explained that no safety incidents were reported during the Hajj, stressing the necessity of applying the instructions for precautionary and preventive measures, and adhering to the specified numbers during family gatherings and others in the blessed Eid season. As for the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, he explained that stage of the pilgrims' movement from Muzdalifah to Mina to spend the three days of Tashreeq has been completed, and since dawn of today, the stage of throwing stones at Jamarats according to the approved schedules, starting with Jamarat Al-Aqaba, then performing Tawaf Al-Ifada according to the possible operational capacity of applying the precautionary measures the Grand Mosque and Mataf courtyard as well as the use of the safe frequency of public transport services from the western Jamarat site to the Grand Mosque, and the return of pilgrims to their residence in Mina, according to the boarding stations within the security, traffic and organizational plans. He pointed out that the ministry and other participating parties continue to provide the necessary services and support to the pilgrims in terms of the completion of all plans, mechanisms and stages of Hajj.
