Saudi Arabia launches permit crackdown to stop heat deaths during Hajj

Saudi Arabia is cracking down on Hajj permit violations to prevent heat deaths during the pilgrimage.

Officials announced on Sunday that the authorities had stopped over 269,000 individuals without the necessary permits from entering Mecca ahead of Hajj.

Saudi officials have attributed overcrowding at the pilgrimage to permit violations, noting that deaths in previous years were often of those without a valid permit.

More than 1,300 pilgrims died in 2024 after thermometers recorded temperatures reaching 51.8 degrees Celsius.

The weather forecast is not predicting such peaks as the Hajj begins this week, but temperatures are still expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius.

The Ministry of Health announced on Monday that it had already treated 44 cases of heatstroke after 1.4 million worshippers arrived in the kingdom.

Deputy Minister of Health Abdullah Asiri told AFP that they were preparing for the "worst-case scenario". 

"The focus is on heat-related illnesses because the Hajj coincides with extreme temperatures," he said.

Asiri added a total of 50,000 medical and administrative staff had been mobilised for the Hajj, while more than 700 hospital beds were equipped with ventilators for serious cases.

Hajj is a religious obligation on all Muslims who are healthy, financially able, of sound mind and of age to perform the pilgrimage.

The pilgrimage coincides with the Eid al-Adha festival, which is Islam's most important religious event.

Due to be celebrated on 6 June this year, Eid al-Adha marks the Quranic story of Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son Ismail.