Saudi Arabia: Thermal cameras in Mecca Grand Mosque for Umrah

Cairo: Sophisticated thermal cameras have been set up in the Grand Mosque in Mecca a few weeks before the resumption of the Umrah journeys.

President- General for Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque Abdulrahman Al Sudais marked the launch as part of a plan aimed at ensuring safety of pilgrims and protecting them from the coronavirus. Al Sudais said that the General Presidency for Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques are ready to welcome the Umrah pilgrims.

The cameras operate through sophisticated monitoring systems and emit alerts on recording a high temperature for any worshipper and visitor to the mosque, thus allowing swift handling of suspected virus cases, the Saudi news agency SPA reported.

On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia unveiled a plan for gradual resumption of Umrah and visits to the two holy mosques in Mecca and Medina, starting from next month.

Saudis and foreign residents in the kingdom will be allowed in the first phase beginning October 4 to perform Umrah at a capacity of 30 per cent amid health precautions.

Muslims abroad will be allowed to go to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah as of November 1.