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Source: http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=126076&d=4&m=9&y=2009
Egypt to slash number of Haj pilgrims by 40%
Galal Fakkar | Arab News
JEDDAH: Egyptian Haj authorities have decided to reduce the number of Haj pilgrims by 40 percent this year as precaution against the spread of the H1N1 virus. Approximately 80,000 Egyptian pilgrims come for Haj every year.
?The Egyptian Higher Committee for Haj that met two days ago under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif decided to cut the number of Haj pilgrims to be sent from that country by 40 percent in view of the increasing reports of swine flu deaths,? Saad Jamil Al-Qarshi, chairman of the National Haj Committee in Saudi Arabia, told Arab News on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia has so far reported 23 deaths caused by swine flu.
That meeting also decided not to accept applications from people seeking to perform Haj in place of those above 65 years of age or those suffering from chronic illnesses who have been removed from the list of pilgrims following the recommendations by Arab health ministers to bar such people from performing Haj, Al-Qarshi said.
Tunisia had earlier decided to bar some 7,000 intending Haj pilgrims from coming for pilgrimage this year in view of the increasing swine flu cases.
Al-Qarshi said the Egyptian authorities informed him that the decision had been taken early so that there is ample time to make arrangements for residential facilities in Makkah hotels and tents in the holy sites in accordance with the number of pilgrims.
An Egyptian delegation will shortly visit the Kingdom to finalize arrangements for facilities in Makkah and Madinah where patients could be kept in isolation in the event of a flu outbreak that might be beyond the capacity of hospitals in the holy cities.
He said the Egyptian authorities informed him that a final decision concerning the number of Haj pilgrims or cancellation of Haj for all Egyptians is under study. The decision would be taken ahead of the Haj after monitoring the spread of the virus.
He said Saudi companies involved in Haj services have no clue about the number of pilgrims they are going to deal with this year.
?Operators of various Haj services are in the dark concerning the number of pilgrims they will be handling and do not know what arrangements they should make for the Haj that is just around the corner,? he said. ?Another problem is the advance payments to be made for the bookings in hotels in Makkah and tents in Mina. They don?t know whether to cancel the bookings and suffer the loss of the payments they have already made. They have already paid SR200 million in advance for various services. Tawafa organizations, transportation agencies and hotels are demanding full payments or cancellation of bookings.?
Egypt?s Interior Ministry issued a statement on Wednesday that Haj pilgrims would start traveling from Egypt to Saudi Arabia on Nov. 6 if the higher Haj committee does not bar people from going for Haj this year, Egyptian daily Al-Yaum reported on Thursday.
The newspaper also reported that the pilgrims who are not allowed to travel this year would be eligible for pilgrimage next year.
Nassir Turk, deputy chairman of the Egyptian Religious Tourism Committee, told Arab News that the country?s Tourism Ministry has started negotiations with Saudi authorities for the refund of the money paid to Saudi agencies for various Umrah services.
Turk said that doctors would be posted at the quarantine section of the Cairo International Airport from Sept. 18 to check all returning Umrah pilgrims for swine flu.
Egypt to slash number of Haj pilgrims by 40%
Galal Fakkar | Arab News
JEDDAH: Egyptian Haj authorities have decided to reduce the number of Haj pilgrims by 40 percent this year as precaution against the spread of the H1N1 virus. Approximately 80,000 Egyptian pilgrims come for Haj every year.
?The Egyptian Higher Committee for Haj that met two days ago under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif decided to cut the number of Haj pilgrims to be sent from that country by 40 percent in view of the increasing reports of swine flu deaths,? Saad Jamil Al-Qarshi, chairman of the National Haj Committee in Saudi Arabia, told Arab News on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia has so far reported 23 deaths caused by swine flu.
That meeting also decided not to accept applications from people seeking to perform Haj in place of those above 65 years of age or those suffering from chronic illnesses who have been removed from the list of pilgrims following the recommendations by Arab health ministers to bar such people from performing Haj, Al-Qarshi said.
Tunisia had earlier decided to bar some 7,000 intending Haj pilgrims from coming for pilgrimage this year in view of the increasing swine flu cases.
Al-Qarshi said the Egyptian authorities informed him that the decision had been taken early so that there is ample time to make arrangements for residential facilities in Makkah hotels and tents in the holy sites in accordance with the number of pilgrims.
An Egyptian delegation will shortly visit the Kingdom to finalize arrangements for facilities in Makkah and Madinah where patients could be kept in isolation in the event of a flu outbreak that might be beyond the capacity of hospitals in the holy cities.
He said the Egyptian authorities informed him that a final decision concerning the number of Haj pilgrims or cancellation of Haj for all Egyptians is under study. The decision would be taken ahead of the Haj after monitoring the spread of the virus.
He said Saudi companies involved in Haj services have no clue about the number of pilgrims they are going to deal with this year.
?Operators of various Haj services are in the dark concerning the number of pilgrims they will be handling and do not know what arrangements they should make for the Haj that is just around the corner,? he said. ?Another problem is the advance payments to be made for the bookings in hotels in Makkah and tents in Mina. They don?t know whether to cancel the bookings and suffer the loss of the payments they have already made. They have already paid SR200 million in advance for various services. Tawafa organizations, transportation agencies and hotels are demanding full payments or cancellation of bookings.?
Egypt?s Interior Ministry issued a statement on Wednesday that Haj pilgrims would start traveling from Egypt to Saudi Arabia on Nov. 6 if the higher Haj committee does not bar people from going for Haj this year, Egyptian daily Al-Yaum reported on Thursday.
The newspaper also reported that the pilgrims who are not allowed to travel this year would be eligible for pilgrimage next year.
Nassir Turk, deputy chairman of the Egyptian Religious Tourism Committee, told Arab News that the country?s Tourism Ministry has started negotiations with Saudi authorities for the refund of the money paid to Saudi agencies for various Umrah services.
Turk said that doctors would be posted at the quarantine section of the Cairo International Airport from Sept. 18 to check all returning Umrah pilgrims for swine flu.