Saudi Arabia makes masks compulsory as it announces health measures for Hajj

Saudi Arabia has anunced health protocols for this year's Hajj pilgrim to prevent spre of coronavirus among visitors and organisers. According to Saudi Arabia Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), pilgrims will have to wear face masks all time during ir visit to holy site. Social distancing measures will also be imposed between pilgrims during mass prayers and while in Kaaba circling area. As per CDC, this year's Hajj will be limited for around 1,000 domestic pilgrims, as Saudi Arabia h earlier anunced that international pilgrims will t be allowed due to coronavirus outbreak. 

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health protocol also states that pilgrims will t be allowed to gar and meetings will be banned in order to ensure minimal physical contact between visitors. Pilgrims are t allowed to touch Kaaba this year, for first time in recorded history. Only those with Haj permits will be allowed to visit Mona, Muzdalifah, and Arafat starting July 19 until August 2. This is first time in modern times when such restrictions have been placed on Hajj visit and probably first time when international pilgrims have been banned from visiting holiest site in Islam. 

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COVID-19 in Saudi

According to figures by Johns Hopkins University, oil-rich kingdom has recorded 2,09,509 confirmed cases of coronavirus to date, of which over 1,900 people have lost ir lives. Saudi Arabia has fared quite well in comparison to some of or majorly affected countries across world, especially when it comes to deaths per million population. most-affected region in Saudi Arabia is Makkah province, where over 1,000 people have died so far, followed by capital Riyh with more than 480 deaths. Meanwhile, world has logged in 11.4 million cases and over 5,34,000 deaths as of July 5. 

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