Saudi Ministry of health voices fear on spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
The health ministry issued a set of conditions for people wanting to perform the annual hajj, which this year falls in October, or the year-round umra or minor pilgrimage.
They recommend postponing the umra and hajj this year "for the elderly and those suffering chronic illnesses, like heart, kidney, respiratory diseases, and diabetes".
People with immunity deficiency, as well as children and pregnant women were also listed according to a ministry statement posted on its website.
The statement did not set an age limit, and was not clear whether the recommendation implied that no visas would be issued for such pilgrims.
The ministry said that the conditions were part of "preventive measures special to the MERS coronavirus".
The kingdom is battling to contain the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-like coronavirus, which has infected 65 people in Saudi Arabia and led to 38 fatalities.
Those figures represent the majority of people affected worldwide - 81 cases of infection and 45 deaths - according to the World Health Organisation.
The Saudi decision comes after the WHO convened emergency talks on MERS last week, with concerns expressed about its potential impact on the hajj when millions of Muslims head to and from Saudi Arabia.
Experts are still struggling to understand MERS.
The World Heatlth Organisation (WHO) has not recommended any MERS-related travel restrictions, but has said that countries should monitor unusual respiratory infection patterns.
The first recorded MERS death was in June last year in Saudi Arabia.
Like SARS, MERS appears to cause a lung infection, with patients suffering from fever, coughing and breathing difficulties, but differs in that it also causes rapid kidney failure.
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@Sonya: Yes.OIC should manage it as they have fixed all other problems facing Islamic world.
Will gods not protect old guys, what is their use then?
What if, just this instance, all prospective hajjis decide to donate their Hajj money for poor and needy all around the world. I am sure Allah will be lot more happy for this act of their selfless kindness instead of visiting the holy sites in KSA.
With so much money spending on expansion (for business reasons) why can't the Saudis have a better disease control system instead of asking elderly not to perform religious duty - can Saudis guarantee that elderly will live to perform this obligation next year? Why can't saudis leave Mecca and Medina to OIC to manage.
@nottaleban: They haven't found a vaccination yet. Health officials from around the world are in KSA to search for the source and its cure
@nottaleban: this is some new strand of virus, vaccination wont have prevented it. However yes, with so many of us lying to the saudi government about vaccination, they should take this too in their own hands
With so much money saudis.receive.from pilgrims cant.they just vaccinate all saudis and pilgrims.
Hajjis coming back from Hajj should be quarantined so that they do not spread it in Pakistan, which is otherwise so vulnerable to diseases. They should be vaccinated if possible