More than 200 Filipinos stranded during Hajj in Saudi Arabia now safe — PH Embassy
MANILA, Philippines — More than 200 Filipino Hajj pilgrims who were stranded in Muzdalifah, near Mecca in Saudi Araba on Wednesday have been safely transported to Mina and received medical help, the Philippine embassy said.
According to the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, only 10 out of the 200 Filipino pilgrims were endorsed for medical care at the hospitals in the Mina area and have since been discharged.
This comes after reports of pilgrims experiencing heat exhaustion during their observance of the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca.
The embassy said that none of the Filipino pilgrims "experienced severe medical issues.” The 10 who were brought to hospitals were discharged shortly and brought back to their tents in Mina without incident.
According to the embassy, over 7,200 Filipinos arrived to take part in the Hajj in Saudi Arabia this year.
They are part of the more than 1.8 million that joined this year's pilgrimage, according to estimates by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Heat exhaustion affects more than 2,000 pilgrims
Saudi officials said more than 2,000 pilgrims in total suffered heat stress during Hajj.
Many elderly were among the Muslim worshippers after a Covid-era maximum age limit was scrapped in 2021.
Saudi’s health ministry reported that hundreds of people were treated for heart problems, including one 78-year-old Filipino who had successful open-heart surgery in Mecca.
While worshippers who flock to Hajj have previously contended with the risk of experiencing stampedes and militant attacks, this year's main challenge came from the extreme temperatures. — Cristina Chi with reports from Agence France-Presse
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