Friday, July 24, 2009
Arab states ban young, old and sick from hajj
Arab health ministers decided to ban children, the elderly and those with chronic medical conditions from attending the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia this year in effort to slow the spread of swine flu.
In a meeting that ended late Wednesday, the ministers, however, stopped short of calling for the cancellation of this year's hajj a duty for all Muslims in their lifetime which attracts about three million people every year to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
The fear is that the close proximity of millions of people from around the world in late November, when the hajj takes place following peak flu season, will fuel the outbreak of the deadly disease.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://epaper.kashmirtimes.com/
In a meeting that ended late Wednesday, the ministers, however, stopped short of calling for the cancellation of this year's hajj a duty for all Muslims in their lifetime which attracts about three million people every year to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
The fear is that the close proximity of millions of people from around the world in late November, when the hajj takes place following peak flu season, will fuel the outbreak of the deadly disease.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://epaper.kashmirtimes.com/
Labels: arab ban, ban children, flu season, hajj, hajj 2009, holy cities, holy cities of mecca and medina, muslim pilgrimage to saudi arabia, Muslims, saudi arabia, spread of swine flu
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