Hajj 2024: Death Toll Due To Heatwave Rises To 235 In Makkah; 4000+ Pilgrims Hospitalised In Saudi

With the conclusion of Hajj, which is a great religious gathering and a mandatory duty for Muslims, people around the world celebrated Eid al-Adha. However, several pilgrims were admitted to hospitals and medical centres following heatstroke, as Saudi Arabia grapples with a severe heat wave. As many as 4,082 people are currently admitted to several medical centres in Saudi Arabia according to authorities. Here’s more on this!

Several Pilgrims Admitted To Medical Centres In Saudi

According to a report by the Khaleej Times, it was mentioned that sunstroke and heat exhaustion are some of the most common health triggers for pilgrims undertaking this religious duty. In fact, the Ministry of Health revealed that several pilgrims had open-heart surgeries, kidney dialysis procedures, and cardiac catheterisation in the country. To offer assistance in case of medical emergencies, specialised clinics, pharmacies, intensive care units and isolation units have been provided to the people by the concerned authorities. Not to mention, the Ministry of Health conducted as many as 24 open-heart surgeries and 249 cardiac catheterisations. In fact, 1,006 kidney dialysis procedures had also took place during the spirit.

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Death Toll From Heatstroke Reaches 235

In another report by this publication, it was revealed that the death toll from the extreme heat had risen among the people of Jordan and Tunisia. The temperature hit 51.8°C in Makkah. By Tuesday evening 235 people had died due to heat. Jordan, which had earlier reported 14 deaths, the toll had risen, and as many as 41 permissions had been issued. Indonesian reported 132 deaths among pilgrims out of which three had been attributed to his stroke. In fact, he was cited as one of the main reasons for 13 other deaths among pilgrims who hailed from Iraq.

These figures are showing up, as more than 1.8 million pilgrims completed their religious duty under the blistering summer heat. In fact, as mentioned previously Mecca’s Grand Mosque where Pilgrims were circling the Kaaba, temperatures had reached 51.8°C on June 17.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning that in the previous year, over 10,000 heat-related illnesses had been recorded.

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