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Muslims begin the haj pilgrimage, heading to a tent camp outside the holy city of Mecca - Source: Reuters -
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Saudi Arabia, which is gearing up to host hundreds of thousands
of Muslim pilgrims later this year, announced its first death from
H1N1 flu.
The ministry of health said a 30-year-old man died on Saturday from
the virus after being admitted to a private medical centre in the
eastern city of Dammam.
Saudi Arabia has reported about 300 cases of the new H1N1 flu,
raising fears the pandemic could hit the pilgrimage seasons in
September and November.
Saudi Health Minister Abdullah al-Rabeeah has urged elderly, ill
and other unfit Muslims to postpone pilgrimages as the kingdom
tries to prevent a large-scale spread of the H1N1 flu.
Arab health ministers also agreed earlier this month to restrict
people over the age of 65 and below 12 and the chronically sick
from performing this year's hajj pilgrimage due to fears over the
virus.
Mecca, home to Islam's holiest site, traditionally attracts more
than a million pilgrims for a minor pilgrimage during the last
third of the fasting month of Ramadan, a lunar month which starts
around August 20 this year.
The main pilgrimage season falls late in November this year. Last
year, about three million people performed the pilgrimage, which
also extends to the city of Medina as worshipers visit the grave of
the Prophet Mohammad.
Last week, the health ministry said it would no longer publish
updates on the number of infections after they neared 300 without
explaining the move which came one day after Egypt reported its
first H1N1 death of a woman returning from Mecca.
Last month, Tunisia announced the suspension of travel by its
pilgrims to Mecca.
The new virus has killed more than 800 people worldwide since it
emerged in April, according to the World Health Organisation
(WHO).
The body has declared H1N1, popularly known as swine flu, as the fastest-moving pandemic ever.
