Saudi Red Crescent Authority announces Hajj health measures

Saudi Arabia announced 44 more deaths from COVID-19 and 2,331 new confirmed cases of the disease on Wednesday. (SPA)

• Kingdom records 2,143 critical coronavirus cases, death toll reaches 2,601

JEDDAH: Preparations for the Hajj season by the Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA) will include emergency services at the Grand Mosque and precautionary measures to limit the spread of coronavirus.
The operations are in line with regulations in the Kingdom limiting the number of pilgrims performing Hajj this year.
The authority allocated more than 27 emergency centers, 253 specialists and technicians, and more than 112 ambulances equipped with the latest technology and medical devices.
Within Makkah, the SRCA has provided 20 emergency centers to deliver emergency medical services for pilgrims, with 188 health workers and more than 100 modern ambulances present.
In Mina, Muzdalifah and Mount Arafat, the authority allocated three emergency centers, 21 specialists and technicians, and more than 12 ambulances. For the Grand Mosque, four other emergency centers have been allocated, with 44 specialists and technicians.
Saudi and expat pilgrims residing in the Kingdom were chosen based on certain criteria, including being younger than 65 and being free of
chronic diseases.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia recorded 44 new COVID-19-related deaths on Wednesday, raising the death toll to 2,601.
There were 2,331 new cases reported in the Kingdom, meaning 258,156 people have now contracted the disease. There are 45,157 active cases and 2,143 are in critical condition.
According to the Ministry of Health, 159 of the newly recorded cases were in Al-Hofuf, while Taif reported 145, and Riyadh 136.
In addition, 3,139 more patients have recovered from COVID-19, bringing the total number of recoveries in the Kingdom to 210,398.
Saudi Arabia has so far conducted 2,837,054 tests for the disease.