ZUL-HAJJ 6 1430 A.H.
MONDAY NOVEMBER . 23 2009.
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Swine flu scare: Sterilized stones for Jamrat rites...Return trip December 1, says Kanti-Bello
From MUH’D HAMISU ABDULLAHI, Makkah with agency report
IN an effort to contain the spread of swine flu among the millions of pilgrims this year in the Holyland, the government of Saudi Arabia has decided to distribute sterilized stones to the pilgrims for Jamrat.
The stones, to be distributed to all the pilgrims as part of ritual stoning at the Jamrat, will be in millions of bags.
The plan was initiated by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, who believes that this will ease the Hajj for pilgrims and help to contain the spread of the disease.
Contained in the Saudi Gazette, a daily newspaper of the Kingdom, 37 centers for distributing the small stones have been set up in Makkah municipality.
The centers are located in Muzdalifa and its surrounding areas.
Dr. Muhammad Al-Amoudi, a member of a general planning committee for this year's Hajj, explained that the project targets three million pilgrims.
He said they will prepare one million bags, adding that each bag will contain enough stones for three days of the stoning.
According to him, Makkah's officials discussed this new step with scholars, the Grand Mufti and other experts who all confirmed that it falls in line with Islamic teachings.
He stressed that the initiative will ensure the pilgrims' comfort and safety, reiterating that clean and sterilized stones will help to contain the spread of infectious diseases such as swine flu.
The project is in several steps.
First, he said, they will bring a large quantity of stones to Muzdalifa and then wash them, sterilize them seven times and then place them out in the sun to dry.
After finishing this process, Al-Amoudi said, they will check the stones again and remove any unacceptable ones.
He said they will then place them in bags and distribute them to pilgrims.
In a similar vein, the Saudi Arabian minister of health, Abdullah Al-Rabeah, said a total of 20 cases of swine flu have been detected in pilgrims arriving from abroad.
Out of the number, he said, 12 have made full recoveries and eight continue to receive treatment in isolation.
The minister, who chaired a meeting of Haljj committees in Jeddah on Thursday, said 1,500,000 doses of vaccine were available for pilgrims at Holy Sites, hospitals and that a 100-bed isolation center was opened at King Abdul Aziz International Airport, Jeddah.
He further revealed that there are also 16,000 beds ready in Makkah and a further 2,800 at the Holy Sites zone with 500 for emergencies as well as 14,000 ready in Madina.
Prevention of H1N1 flu, he said, has been a top priority of his ministry.
He said laboratories had been set up in Jeddah, Makkah, Madina and Taif to accelerate early detection of the disease.
Meanwhile, Sen. Kanti Bello, the National Amirul Hajj, said on Saturday night in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, that Nigerian pilgrims will begin their return trip from Dec. 1.
Bello said at a meeting with chairmen of state pilgrims welfare boards/agencies, airlines, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria officials and other stakeholders that arrangements have been concluded to ensure a better out-bound journey based on the manifest of the incoming flights to Jeddah.
``We are going to follow the manifest strictly, there will be no jumping of queues, each pilgrim will return to Nigeria based on the flights and time he or she came to the Holyland,'' he said.
Bello stressed that all pilgrims would return to Nigeria with their luggage as arranged with the designated airlines and advised pilgrims to ensure compliance with the 10kg luggage and 40kg weighed luggage.
``This time round we are going to ensure strict compliance with the luggage policy, the aim is not to inconvenience any pilgrim but to ensure efficiency and compliance with the rule,'' he said.
Kanti Bello advised pilgrims to be disciplined and ensure personal hygiene as they perform their religious rites, especially at Arafat and Mina.
He said the federal government is collaborating with the state boards/agencies to provide free meals for pilgrims on Arafat and Sallah days and urged pilgrims to pray for the country.
Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, the Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), gave an assurance that the exercise would be smooth.
He noted that the Commission completed the transportation of 85,365 pilgrims in 18 days in 211 flights with one week to the close of King Abdul Aziz International Airport, Jeddah.
The airport is scheduled to be closed to all incoming flights at the weekend.
