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Reuters
This year, the Saudi authorities organized an exceptional Hajj season due to Corona
The authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia decided to allow citizens and residents to perform Umrah, starting on October 4, after a hiatus of almost seven months due to concerns related to the outbreak of the Corona virus.
According to the official Saudi Arabian press agency, “SPA”, if allowed, the Umrah will be carried out gradually in four stages.
On October 4, citizens and residents of the Kingdom will be able to perform Umrah at the rate of 6,000 pilgrims per day, representing 30 percent of the modified capacity to take into account preventive health measures within the Great Mosque.
On October 18, the number of pilgrims will be allowed to reach 75 percent of the modified capacity (15,000 pilgrims).
At the beginning of November, Saudi Arabia will allow visitors from certain countries considered safe to participate in the rituals of performing the Umrah while reaching 100 percent of the capacity that takes into account precautionary measures (20 thousand pilgrims).
And when the competent authorities decide that the risk of the Crown epidemic has ceased, Umrah will be allowed for residents of the Kingdom and those coming from abroad, at 100 percent of normal capacity.
The number of participants in Umrah last year reached 19 million. However, the Kingdom suspended the performance of rituals in March as part of its measures to limit the spread of the Corona epidemic.
This year, the Saudi authorities organized a season of pilgrimages for several thousand citizens and residents of the Kingdom, while around 3 million people participated in the Hajj in recent years.
Official data shows that Hajj and Umrah generate around $ 12 billion annually for the Kingdom.
On Tuesday, the total number of Corona injuries recorded in Saudi Arabia rose to 330,798, in addition to 4,542 deaths since the outbreak of the epidemic there.
