Gulf | Saudi Arabia
Poor food leaves 111 Haj pilgrims hospitalised
As many as 111 Haj pilgrims were hospitalised after being affected by food poisoning in Madinah on Monday evening. Conditions of the pilgrims, who belong to various countries, are stable, according to hospital sources.
- By Abdul Rahman, ShaheenCorrespondent
- Published: 23:25 December 2, 2008
Makkah: As many as 111 Haj pilgrims were hospitalised after being affected by food poisoning in Madinah on Monday evening. Conditions of the pilgrims, who belong to various countries, are stable, according to hospital sources.
The pilgrims ate rice and meat dishes from a hotel in the Central Haram area.
Twenty-seven teams of volunteers from the Saudi Red Crescent Society rushed the patients to nearby hospitals, where they were diagnosed with food poisoning.
Several senior officials of the Madinah branch of the Ministry of Haj and Madinah Health Department were seen at the hospitals checking up on the pilgrims and making sure they receive the best care.
Gulf News learnt from sources that authorities are investigating the incident and have interrogated Saeed Al Baluchi, head of an Omani Haj tour operator. Al Baluchi disclosed that he had recently terminated contracts of one of the restaurants to supply meals for the pilgrims.
The authorities have shut down the restaurant and taken the official in charge of distributing meals into custody.
In a separate incident, 300 Yemeni pilgrims were evacuated from a hotel in the Central Haram following a fire.
Every year, more than two million Muslims make the pilgrimage over five days to Makkah. Haj is one of the five pillars of Islam and every able-bodied Muslim should undertake it once in a life time.
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