Saudi Arabia: Mecca’s emergency rescue teams save Egyptian pilgrim after his heart stops twice

Dubai: Mecca’s emergency rescue teams have successfully saved a 32-year-old Egyptian pilgrim, whose heart stopped twice for 27 minutes and experienced severe shortness of breath, resulting in a loss of consciousness.

The patient was transported to the Haram Emergency Centre campus by ambulance teams, during which time his heart stopped, and the ambulance team promptly performed cardiac resuscitation for 12 minutes.

Upon arrival at the Centre, the patient’s heart stopped again, prompting the team to continue cardiac resuscitation for an additional 15 minutes and administer electric shocks.

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that the medical team performed necessary clinical examinations and x-rays, which revealed no irregularities in the patient’s heart muscle but severe inflammation in the lungs.

The patient was placed on a ventilator and admitted to the hospital’s intensive care department. His vital signs returned to normal and his condition stabilised the following day when the ventilator was removed.

This is the second time such an incident happened during this Umrah season.

Last month, a Pakistani Umrah pilgrim whose heart had stopped for more than 10 minutes at the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina was saved.