Death toll among Egyptian pilgrims rises to 66: ministry

The death toll among Egyptians taking part in the annual hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia has risen to 66, the Egyptian health ministry announced on Thursday.

In statements to state-owned MENA news agency, the head of Egypt’s hajj medical commission, Ahmed El-Ansary, said two women and a man passed away in two hospitals in the Saudi city of Mecca.

He attributed their deaths to respiratory issues and cardiac arrest.

Deaths from heat exhaustion, fatigue, and other natural causes are a common occurrence among pilgrims on the hajj in Saudi Arabia.

In 2016, 43 Egyptians died of natural causes during the pilgrimage.

Saudi authorities say more than two million Muslims participated in this year’s hajj season.

The five-day pilgrimage started on Wednesday and concluded on Monday.

Source: Ahram online