Pilgrims at the Grand Mosque in Meccalast year (Saudi Ministry of Media via AP, File)Saudi Arabia has announced this year’s hajj pilgrimage will be limited to no more than 60,000 people, all from within the kingdom, due to the coronavirus pandemic. A statement on the state-run Saudi Press Agency quoted the kingdom’s Hajj and Umrah Ministry making the announcement. Last year, as few as 1,000 people already residing in Saudi Arabia were selected to take part in the hajj. More recently, Saudi Arabia faced danger from a different coronavirus, one that causes Middle East respiratory syndrome, or Mers. Saudi Arabia – home to more than 30 million people – closed its borders for months to try to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Source: Irish Independent June 12, 2021 11:02 UTC