A Total Of 22 Indonesian Hajj Candidates Positive For COVID-19, 9 Delayed Departing To Makkah

Illustration of the pilgrimage. (Antaranews)

JAKARTA - The Head of the Hajj Health Center of the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) Budi Sylvana said that 13 hajj candidates had delayed their departure to the Holy Land due to being positive for COVID-19.

"We found several pilgrims whose PCR test results were confirmed positive," Budi said when delivering a press statement on the implementation of the 1443 Hijri Hajj in Jakarta, Tuesday, June 7.

According to Budi, the 13 people tested positive before going to embarkation, so they had to undergo a five-day quarantine.

On the fourth day they underwent another PCR swab with negative results for COVID-19 and had been sent to Saudi Arabia.

In total, he said, until now there were 22 hajj candidates who were confirmed positive for COVID-19 before leaving for the Holy Land. Nine of them are still pending departure.

"There are still nine hajj candidates whose departures must be postponed," he said, as reported by Antara.

Budi reminded Hajj candidates who will hold a Walimatus Safar (a farewell/thanksgiving event before leaving for Hajj) to do so well in advance of departure. In addition, he also appealed to prospective pilgrims not to travel to public places if they are not urgent.

"So that before the departure of prospective pilgrims, they can further limit their activities and focus on the Holy Land," he said.

Budi hopes that the congregation will have awareness of the importance of maintaining health. The government also asks for help and support from all parties, especially the scholars and teachers, so that they can convey their knowledge at the assemblies about the importance of maintaining health while in the holy land.

"We also ask worship advisors and hajj officers to always educate the congregation to drink more, don't wait to be thirsty, and don't do excessive activities," he said.

Currently there are 7,054 Indonesian pilgrims in Medina. Of that number, there are two pilgrims who are being treated at the Indonesian Hajj Health Clinic (KKHI) in Medina, while one person died on arrival in the Holy Land.