To Date, 36 Hajj Pilgrims Have Died In The Holy Land

Director General of Hajj and Umrah at the Ministry of Religion Hilman Latief in Mecca (ANTARA/HO.MCH2022)

MECCA - A total of 36 members of the Hajj pilgrims died in the Holy Land until the 40th day of Hajj operations in 1443 H/2022 AD with the addition of eight post-wukuf pilgrimages in Arafah.

"This year, the death toll in 40 operational days, 36 pilgrims", said Director General of Hajj and Umrah at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Hilman Latief, in Mecca as reported by ANTARA, Monday, July 11.

He mentioned the latest data that eight pilgrims died in the post-wukuf phase in Arafah, consisting of two people who died at the Indonesian Hajj Health Office (KKHI) Mecca and six others at KKHI Mina.

"When juxtaposed with the death toll on the same day for the last five years, it is currently the least. The decline is very significant", he said.

Based on data from the Integrated Hajj Information and Computerization System (Siskohat), continued Hilman, on the 40th day of Hajj operations in 2015, for example, there were 397 pilgrims died, in 2016 there were 180 pilgrims died. In the following three years, the death toll was 327 people (2017), 177 people (2018), and 169 people (2019).

Previously, the Minister of Religious Affairs, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, was grateful that the number of sick and dead members of the Indonesian Hajj pilgrimage this year had decreased dramatically compared to the previous one.

According to him, limiting the age of pilgrims to 65 years may also be a factor in reducing the death rate.

In addition, continuous health education and quick responses from health workers to handle cases that occur in pilgrims also have a significant impact on the decrease in the number of deaths.

Likewise with the timing of the jumrah ejection in the afternoon for Indonesian pilgrims, because it is quieter and the weather is more comfortable and not hot.

In the previous Hajj season, after wukuf in Arafah, he said, Mina was one of the challenges because the number of sick and dead members of the congregation was also high due to fatigue which triggered the emergence of other diseases.