Saudi Arabia’s health minister said on Sunday the death toll during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage reached 1,301.
Speaking to state television, Fahd al-Jalajel said that 83 percent of the deceased were pilgrims who had undertaken the journey without the necessary permits.
Al-Jalajel said that these unauthorized pilgrims walked long distances under the intense sun.
“We dealt with large numbers of people affected by heat stress,” the minister added.
Al-Jalajel said that the identities of the deceased were verified, and they were respectfully buried and honored in Mecca.
The minister said that the Kingdom provided approximately 1.3 million preventive services to pilgrims. He added that authorities also delivered over 465,000 treatment services, including 141,000 for those without Hajj authorization.
