SAUDI ARABIA-HEALTH MINISTER Saudi Arabia relieved as well-protected haj draws to end

Record ID: 189543

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA-HEALTH MINISTER Saudi Arabia relieved as well-protected haj draws to end
  • Date: 6th October 2014
  • Summary: MECCA, SAUDI ARABIA (OCTOBER 6, 2014) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF MECCA METRO ARRIVING AT STONING AREA IN MENA PILGRIMS WALKING TO STONING AREA SIGN READING "JAMARAT MINA 3" VARIOUS OF PILGRIMS WALKING PHOTOGRAPH OF SAUDI KING ABDULAZIZ AL-SOUD ACTING HEALTH MINISTER ADEL FAQIH ARRIVING CAMERA OPERATOR NEWS CONFERENCE UNDERWAY (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTING SAUDI HEALTH MINISTER, ADEL FAQIH, SAYING: "I'm pleased to announce that this year's haj was free from epidemic diseases." AUDIENCE CLAPPING REPORTER QUESTIONING FAQIH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ACTING SAUDI HEALTH MINISTER, ADEL FAQIH, SAYING: "We had 170 suspected (coronavirus) cases and all these cases we dealt with them with great caution and isolated them, and then we performed tests they came out negative." SPEAKERS LEAVING MINISTRY OF HEALTH LOGO
  • Embargoed: 21st October 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA9L66BFBNHY057XACLE90TYOZI
  • Story Text: Saudi Arabia breathed a sign of relief on Monday (October 6) as the haj pilgrimage neared its close without the militant attacks or deadly epidemics that threatened to upset the huge annual Muslim journey of faith.
    The kingdom said this year's tighter security and sanitary precautions had paid off, allowing 2.085 million pilgrims to visit Mecca and other holy sites in safety this year, just slightly higher than the 1.98 million pilgrims last year.
    The haj, a hectic journey that draws Muslims from around the world, had been tinged with concerns about the Ebola epidemic and possible militant attacks, especially after Saudi Arabia joined a U.S.-led alliance against Islamic State militants and participated in air strikes against targets in Syria.
    The pilgrimage, which culminates in the three-day feast of Eid al-Adha, officially ends on Tuesday (October 7). Security has been much tighter than in previous years, with more checkpoints on roads to the holy sites and more special forces deployed there.
    "I'm pleased to announce that this year's haj was free from epidemic diseases," acting Saudi Health Minister Adel Faqih told a news conference in Mena.
    Health officials said there had been no confirmed cases at the haj of Ebola or the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), another deadly disease that is believed to be carried by camels.
    "We had 170 suspected (coronavirus) cases and all these cases we dealt with them with great caution and isolated them, and then we performed tests they came out negative," Faqih added.
    Saudi Arabia enforced control this year by cracking down on domestic pilgrims traveling to holy sites without permits. That helped keep the number of pilgrims well below the 3.2 million who packed Islam's holiest sites in 2012.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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