According to Saudi Arabia, 1,301 pilgrim deaths occurred during the Haj season, with 83% of the deaths being unreported.
Saudi Press Agency: According to Saudi Health Minister Fahd Al-Jalajel, the kingdom’s healthcare system treated “numerous” cases of heat stress on Sunday, with some patients still requiring medical attention.
The minister noted, “Among the deceased were several elderly and chronically ill individuals,” suggesting that unregistered pilgrims were most affected by the heat because they had travelled great distances in direct sunlight without proper protection or comfort.
Even though there were initially no identification documents or personal information available, all victims have been identified and their families have been informed. He said that the right procedures were followed for identification, interment, and the issuing of death certificates.
According to Xinhua news agency, which cited the Saudi Press Agency, Al-Jalajel commended the efforts made by the responsible authorities to increase pilgrims’ awareness of and readiness for heat stress as well as the assistance provided by first responders and the Haj security forces in managing heat stress cases.
He pronounced the previous Haj season’s health management to have been successful, “with no recorded outbreaks of epidemics or widespread diseases.”
Notably, the health system offered more than 465,000 specialised treatment services, including 141,000 services for people who lacked formal authorization to perform Haj, ranging from emergency care and surgeries to dialysis.
