133 ARAB PILGRIMS DIED DURING HAJ

A total of 133 Arab foreign pilgrims have died so far, while 213 others have been admitted to hospitals during this Haj season, according to a statistical report issued by the Tawafa Organization for Pilgrims from Arab Countries.

“We have advised seven pilgrims to return to their countries due to signs of psychiatric illness, preventing them from completing the Haj pilgrimage,” the report said, adding that four of the pilgrims came from Egypt, two from Jordan and one from Lebanon.

The highest number of deaths was reported among Egyptian pilgrims, with 14 cases of death and 81 hospitalization cases. Five Iraqis, four Algerians, and four Sudanese have also died, in addition to three Moroccans, three Somalis, two Yemenis, two Jordanians and one Mauritanian.

The Health Ministry, meanwhile, said 56 percent of deaths during the Haj season were caused by heart and lung diseases.

Hospitalized Arab pilgrims included 25 Iraqis, 20 Sudanese, 19 Somalis, 15 Moroccans, 10 Algerians, nine Yemenis, seven Syrians, seven Palestinians, seven Jordanians, six Libyans, five Tunisians and one Lebanese patient.

Faisal Nouh, chairman of the organization, said that some of the hospitalized pilgrims have been released, while pilgrims who were unable to move to Arafat have been transported by ambulance to perform Haj rites.