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Saudi Arabia will allow around 1,000 pilgrims residing in the kingdom to perform the hajj this year, a minister informed the media on June 23. The ritual is being scaled back due to coronavirus pandemic. The pilgrimage, scheduled for the end of July, will be limited to those below 65 years of age and with no chronic illnesses, Health Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah said as per AFP. Pilgrims will be tested for COVID-19 before arriving in the holy city of Mecca and will be required to quarantine at home after the ritual, Rabiah added. Saudi Arabia announced on June 22 it would hold a "very limited" hajj this year, as it moves to curb the biggest coronavirus outbreak in the Gulf. The announcement comes as Saudi Arabia reported a total of 1,61,005 COVID-19 cases. The death toll in the Kingdom stands at 1,307. The decision marks the first time in Saudi Arabia's modern history that Muslims outside the kingdom have been barred from performing the hajj, which last year drew 2.5 million pilgrims. Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime if his or her physical and economic state allows. Saudi will incur huge losses this year as the Haj represents an important source of income. Hajj pilgrimage usually generates between $5.3 billion and $6.9 billion for the local economy, according to Mecca's chamber of commerce
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