Pilgrims to face cold weather in Holy Land

Pilgrims to face cold weather in Holy Land

JAKARTA (JP): This year's haj pilgrims are facing relatively
cold weather in Saudi Arabia, a situation which will increase the
physical ordeal of the journey, according to Wan Alkadri, the
head of the Ministry of Health's Haj Health Affairs.

Reports have said that the temperature in the holy city of
Mecca, the port city of Jeddah and Medina, the second holiest
city, is between 13 degrees and 29 degrees Celsius.

Alkadri said Monday that Indonesian pilgrims would face
diseases similar to last year's illnesses, including infections
of the respiratory and digestion tracts, but due to the unusually
high humidity the risk of being affected was much higher.

"Coughs and colds will hit the pilgrims much more frequently
and last longer than the usual three to four days. Usually they
last less than three days," he said.

Last year, 571 haj pilgrimages died in the Holy Land. The main
causes of the deaths were cardiovascular illnesses (44.56%), lung
infections (32.8%), cerebrovascular problems (5.96%), heatstroke
(3.56%) and liver trouble (2.46%).

Alkadri said the government had sent 47,900 kg of medicines to
Saudi Arabia and 1,428 medical officers to assist pilgrims round
the clock at all stations in Saudi Arabia.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs announced Sunday that a
pilgrim from Magelang, Central Java, had died in Jeddah. Bariah
binti Reso Taruno, 61, died of old age.

It also reported a bus accident involving Indonesian pilgrims
from flight 17 from Halim Perdanakusuma. The accident occurred at
4:30 a.m Saudi time yesterday, 40 km from Medina.

Fourteen pilgrims were hospitalized at King Fahd Abdul Azis
hospital in Medina. Eight have already been discharged. No deaths
were reported.

As of yesterday afternoon, 28,176 pilgrims had left for the
Holy Land from the six embarkation points. This year, Indonesia
is sending 197,615 pilgrims on 474 flights. (12)