1,301 pilgrims died during 2024 hajj – Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has said that 1,301 pilgrims died during the 2024 Hajj.

Fahd Al-Jalajel, the Saudi Minister of Health, said on Sunday that 83 percent of the deaths were among unauthorized pilgrims who walked long distances in high temperatures to perform the Hajj rituals.

He also mentioned that 95 pilgrims are currently being treated in hospitals, with some flown to Riyadh for treatment.

“1,301 people died during the Hajj season. May Allah have mercy on them all. Eighty-three percent were unauthorized pilgrims who walked long distances under the sun without shelter or rest, including many elderly individuals and people with chronic diseases,” he said.

On May 26, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) reported that Tawakaltu Alako, a Nigerian pilgrim, collapsed and died in her hotel in Makkah.

Since then, NAHCON has reported several more deaths during this year’s Hajj.

Abubakar Adamu, head of Nigeria’s medical team for the 2024 Hajj, told journalists on July 17 that a Nigerian pilgrim had died from heatstroke while on his way to Jamrat to perform the ritual of throwing stones.

Temperatures in Mecca this year reached up to 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit).

Mohammed Al-Abdulaali, a spokesperson for the Saudi Health Ministry, said that over 2,760 pilgrims suffered from sunstroke and heat stress on July 16 alone.