A total of 15 Egyptians have passed away in Saudi Arabia during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage due to chronic diseases, according to a Health Ministry statement on Saturday.
Among the more than 62,000 pilgrims currently in Saudi Arabia, more than half have visited clinics of the medical mission accompanying the Egyptian pilgrims.
The Health Ministry revealed that 39 pilgrims are currently in hospital, and added that all 15 deaths were amongst elderly pilgrims. The ministry also said that the causes of deaths ranged from circulatory failure, complications attributed to cancer, and cardiac arrests.
Health Ministry spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said there are no epidemic diseases among the Egyptian pilgrims.
On 11 September, a crane collapse in the Holy Mosque at Mecca resulted in the deaths of two Egyptians and the injury of 23 others. The construction crane partially crashed into the Grand Mosque during a violent rainstorm, leaving 107 pilgrims dead and injuring 238 others.
The annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca takes place between 22 and 27 September this year. Saudi Arabia is expected to host approximately 2 million pilgrims, almost two thirds of whom are expected to be foreigners.
Dozens of Egyptians die every year in the Hajj due to fatigue and over-crowdedness – last year, 44 Egyptians died whilst undertaking the Hajj.
