Saudi Arabia says 1,301 died on Hajj this year

Saudi Arabia said Sunday that more than 1,300 people died on this year’s Hajj pilgrimage – with “numerous cases” due to heat stress and “unauthorized” trips accounting for more than four out of five of the fatalities

“The health system addressed numerous cases of heat stress this year, with some individuals still under care.

Regrettably, the number of mortalities reached 1,301,” the Saudi government said in a statement as it released its first official figures.

The statement said 83% of those who died were “unauthorized to perform Hajj” and “walked long distances under direct sunlight, without adequate shelter or comfort.”

There were “several elderly and chronically ill individuals” among the deceased, it said, adding that the families of all the dead had now been identified.

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