Hajj, the yearly Muslim pilgrimage, has taken a hit amidst rainstorms and fears of swine flu. Authorities in the Saudi city of Mecca have counseled pilgrims to exercise caution during the Hajj.
Each year, the pilgrimage attracts over two million Muslims from across the globe.
Local officials have informed that fears of swine flu may keep away at least 40 percent of local pilgrims. So far, four H1N1 deaths have been reported during this year’s Hajj, however, the authorities are attempting to water down the swine flu scare.
Officials own up
General Mansoor al-Turki is the first official to have acknowledged that fear of swine flu might cast a shadow on this year’s Hajj.
On Wednesday, Khaled Marghlani, a health ministry spokesman, verified that the number of confirmed and suspected pilgrims to have contracted the virus stood at 67. "Everything is going smoothly, thanks to God," he said.
Four people have died of swine flu during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage so far. These include a Moroccan woman, an Indian man, a Sudanese man--all over 75 years of age-- and a 17-year-old Nigerian girl.
In a statement issued, the officials said, “All the four victims had not followed recommended procedures, especially vaccination against swine flu."
The pilgrimage and the accidents
Pilgrims have been flocking Mecca for some days. On Wednesday, Tawaf, a ritual that involves taking seven rounds around the Kaaba in an anti-clockwise direction, marked the beginning of the Hajj rites.
Kaaba is a cube-like structure that is located in the centre of the holiest shrine called the Great Mosque. Tawaf is followed by crossing a passage in the Great Mosque seven times, venerating Prophet Abraham’s wife Hajar’s search for water. Thereafter, the pilgrims proceed to the valley of Arafat, where they eulogize Allah by meditating in the open for nearly a day.
Several accidents have occurred during the pilgrimage in the past due to overcrowding.
A stampede in 2006, that took place at the Jamarat Bridge in Mina, had left 364 people dead.
In order to evade such incidents in the future, the bridge has been rebuilt. The newly-built five-storey walkway, which is 3,135ft long and 260 ft wide, is expected to thwart overcrowding.
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