Saudi Arabia: 125,000 have performed Umrah so far
Faithful are required to register via smartphone app to enter two holy mosques
Cairo: Around 125,000 pilgrims have performed the Umrah since the restart of the ritual earlier this month under a gradual plan, the Saudi Ministry of the Hajj and Umrah has disclosed.
On October 4, Saudi Arabia set into motion a phased plan resuming the Umrah after suspension of about seven months prompted by the spread of the new coronavirus.
The first phase got off the ground with limited numbers of pilgrims from inside Saudi Arabia amid a raft of precautions against COVID-19.
The second went into effect on Sunday, allowing about 40,000 worshippers and 15,000 pilgrims per day into the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Around 45,000 pilgrims and 120,000 worshippers have since got access to the Grand Mosque, the ministry added, according to Okaz newspaper. No COVID-19 case has been recorded among the pilgrims since the Umrah was resumed.
The ministry warned against using any application other than the Etmarna App to obtain permits to perform the Umrah as well as to visit the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.
Muslims abroad will be allowed to go to Saudi Arabia to perform the Umrah as of November 1, after suspension of around eight months.