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Saudi Hajj Ministry issues new web link for Qatari pilgrims after Doha blocking

Arab News
July 21, 2018

Riyadh, Jul 21: The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has allocated a new website link to receive the requests of Qataris who wish to perform Hajj after the Qatari authorities blocked the old one. Qataris wishing to perform Hajj can use the following link: https://qh1.Hajj.gov.sa instead of the old one (https://qh.Hajj.gov.sa), the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. The new link was made available as part of King Salman’s efforts to facilitate the arrival of all pilgrims and ensure that any obstacles that they may face are overcome. The ministry said that it welcomes the arrival of Qatari pilgrims this year irrespective of the ongoing Gulf dispute. The arrival and departure of Qatari pilgrims will take place via King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah and through any airlines except Qatar Airways. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE — collectively known as the Anti-Terror Quartet — imposed a boycott on Qatar in June 2017 over Doha’s alleged ties with terror groups. Doha denies the charges.

Health care services The Ministry of Health has intensified its preparations to assure good health care services for pilgrims this year. To equip its facilities to ensure readiness to offer effective health care services to pilgrims during the Hajj season from their arrival by air, sea and land to their safe return to their homelands, the ministry on Thursday announced the completion of 12 health control centers at these access points. “These centers are well equipped with modern medical facilities with more than 1,750 medical staff and 19 clinics to provide the best services to the pilgrims round the clock,” it said. These centers will provide emergency and ambulatory medical services to pilgrims and referral services for patients to specialist hospitals using well-equipped ambulances. The ministry activates field medicine and emergency care during the Hajj by gearing up a fleet of 100 small ambulances operating as mobile intensive care units to deal with emergencies, as well as providing 80 highly equipped big ambulances. More than 29,000 health practitioners, including medical, technical and administrative groups, are commissioned under the workforce program. The ministry follows up developments and changes in the global health situation in coordination with the World Health Organization and other international health institutions including the international centers for disease control.

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Agencies
July 23,2020

Abu Dhabi, Jul 23: Muslims in the United Arab Emirates have been asked to perform Eid Al-Adha prayers at home even as mosques will be allowed to operate at an increased capacity of 50 percent from Aug. 3.

Mosques in the UAE have been operating at 30 percent capacity after they reopened on July 1.

Announcing the move, Dr. Saif Al Dhaheri, the official spokesman for the National Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, stated that after assessing the situation and coordinating with the concerned authorities, it was decided that Eid Al-Adha prayers would be conducted in homes and takbeers broadcast through visual and audio means.

He also announced that the Emirates Fatwa Council has recommended that donations and sacrifices should be to official charitable causes in the country only.

Al Dhaheri advised the public to donate during this time to the official charitable bodies in the country with sacrifices and donations, through smart applications concerned with sacrifices or through slaughterhouses outlined by the local authorities that guarantee the application of precautionary and preventive measures and provide remote services without the need to enter livestock markets or slaughterhouses.

Al Dhaheri stressed the need to avoid family visits and gatherings, and replace them using electronic means of communication or phone contact, as well as refraining from distributing Eid gifts and money to children and individuals during this occasion recommending to instead use of electronic alternatives.

Al Dhaheri pointed out that it is necessary to avoid visiting pregnant women, children and those with chronic diseases who are most vulnerable to COVID-19 and not to allow them to leave the home and avoid going out to public places to preserve their health and safety.

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Agencies
July 31,2020

Makkah, Jul 31: Organising this year's scaled-down hajj required "double efforts" by Saudi authorities amid the coronavirus pandemic, King Salman said Friday after being discharged from hospital following gall bladder surgery.

Only up to 10,000 people already residing in the kingdom are participating in this year's pilgrimage, compared with 2019's gathering of some 2.5 million from around the world.

"Holding the ritual in the shadow of this pandemic... required reducing the numbers of pilgrims, but it obliged various official agencies to put in double efforts," 84-year-old King Salman said in a speech read out on state television by acting media minister Majid Al-Qasabi.

"The hajj this year was restricted to a very limited number of people from multiple nationalities, ensuring the ritual was completed despite the difficult circumstances," he said.

The speech came on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim festival of sacrifice, a day after the king left hospital following a 10-day stay for surgery to remove his gall bladder.

The hajj, which began on Wednesday, is one of the five pillars of Islam and a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime.

Authorities implemented the "highest health precautions" during the rituals, the king said.

Pilgrims, who were all tested for the virus, are required to wear masks and observe social distancing.

For Friday's "stoning of the devil", the last major ritual of the hajj, Saudi authorities offered the pilgrims pebbles that were sanitised to protect against the pandemic.

In a sign that its strict measures were working, the health ministry reported no coronavirus cases in the holy sites on Wednesday or Thursday.

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Saudi Gazette
June 2,2020

Abu Dhabi, Jun 2: The United Arab Emirates on Monday recorded 635 new coronavirus cases, taking the total number of infections in the country to 35,192, the UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention said in a statement carried by state news agency WAM.

The new cases were detected after the health authorities conducted 30,147 additional COVID-19 tests citizens and residents.

The ministry also announced that 406 more patients have fully recovered after receiving the necessary medical care, raising the total number of recoveries in the country to 18,338.

The announcement was made during the regular media briefing held in Abu Dhabi, wherein Dr. Amna Al Dahak Al Shamsi, official spokesperson for the UAE government, provided an update on coronavirus-related developments and measures taken to mitigate its impact.

During the briefing, Dr. Al Shamsi also announced the death of two patients from COVID-19, taking the total number of deaths in the country to 266.

"The number of COVID-19 cases still receiving treatment now stands at 16,588 from different nationalities," she added, noting that more than 650,000 COVID-19 tests have been conducted over the past two weeks.

"Since the onset of the crisis, the UAE has focused on select segments of society, primarily the elderly and patients with chronic diseases, in order to ensure they survive the crisis," she added.

"We believe it is particularly morally important to support and stand by them, provide them with their daily needs, and keep them from harm’s way," she added.

Dr. Al Shamsi asserted that all precautionary measures announced, including the updated fines and penalties, will be enforced against violators, including citizens and residents.

"The law does not differentiate between citizens and residents. We are living in one homeland, which is for all of us," she continued.

"Your safety and health are a priority. We must comply with all precautionary measures. Though restrictions have been relaxed, caution must continue to be exercised."

Dr. Al Shamsi also warned, "Recklessness may undermine the efforts made by our frontline defenders. It is the responsibility of every individual to support protective efforts to ensure the safety of all."

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