Hajj season this year to be limited to 1 million pilgrims under 65 - MoHU

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia (MoHU) has announced that the number of pilgrims allowed for the Hajj season this year (1443Hijrah/2022) is limited to one million local and international pilgrims.

In an official statement shared on Twitter today, the ministry said the number of international pilgrims for the year will be in accordance with the quotas allocated to each country, taking into account the compliance with all healthcare criteria.

The ministry also announced that that this year's hajj season is open to pilgrims under the age of 65 who have received the main COVID-19 vaccine approved by the Saudi Ministry of Health. According to the statement, pilgrims coming from outside of Saudi Arabia are required to submit a negative COVID-19 PCR test result within 72 hours before departure.

The ministry also reminded of the need for pilgrims to adhere to precautions and follow all health instructions while performing their Hajj rituals.

Last year, Saudi Arabia allowed only 60,000 domestic pilgrims, including its nationals and foreigners who are in the country, to perform the hajj.

-- BERNAMA