Background: Saudi Arabia hosted 2.5 million pilgrims in 2009 amidst H1N1 pandemic. The Armed Forces Hospital in Mina caters for pilgrims during Hajj, annually. In the hospital, rigorous infection control precautions were taken to mitigate the transmission of the pandemic among the care seekers and the hospital’s health workers. Objective: To study the distribution of confirmed H1N1 infection am...

Mass gatherings can be hazardous. Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam, is the largest annual mass gathering of humans, with more than 2 million people wearing specified garments, following prescribed religious rituals and fulfilling their religious obligations. There is a risk of communicable disease introduction, rapid amplification and, as pilgrims travel home, the potential spread into countries...

Millions of Muslims travel to Makkah every year to perform Hajj. Many pilgrims come from countries with a high incidence of tuberculosis (TB). Over-crowding, physical exhaustion, heat, and co-morbid conditions of mostly middle-aged and elderly pilgrims make them susceptible to infection, or reactivation of latent TB. Evidence from previous reports indicated a significant risk of acquiring infec...

every year, millions of moslems depart to saudi arabia from more than one hundred countries around the world for paying to hajj precept. high percentages of these pilgrims suffer from an influenza-like illness (ili). this study was designed and conducted on 32370 iranian pilgrims (36% of total number of iranian pilgrims) to evaluate the incidence of the illness and determination of influenza va...

The outbreak of COVID-19 has placed the world in a crisis like no other, which significant impact on lives people and travel industry. Due to increasing number cases, this situation may also affect pilgrims for annual Hajj Umrah mass gatherings as it can spread infectious diseases between host community. Therefore, study aims determine pilgrimage’s risk perception regarding issues, contribute p...

Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam which obligatory to accomplish for those who are capable in terms physic, economy, and health. The number Indonesian hajj pilgrims as world’s most Muslim populous country elevates continuously year by year. Government Saudi Arabia cooperates with all populated countries make regulations understandings regarding quota arrangement on umrah that allowed visit two ...

To the Editor: As of April 20, 2000, >300 laboratory confirmed cases of meningococcal disease caused by N. meningitidis serogroup W135 (NMW135) have been reported in Saudi Arabia and nine other countries among Hajj pilgrims or their close contacts (1). This is the first reported multinational outbreak of W135 meningococcal disease. NMW135 accounts for <5% of meningococcal disease in the United ...