According to the official news agency SPA, authorities have documented that a total of 585,932 pilgrims have journeyed from various parts of the world to Saudi Arabia in preparation for this year’s Hajj. The Hajj and Visit Committee’s data on pilgrim arrivals and departures in Madinah revealed that 28,531 pilgrims arrived on Wednesday, while 471,051 departed on the same day for the holy sites in Makkah. The remaining number of pilgrims who stayed in Madinah until Wednesday reached 114,830.

The annual Hajj pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah in Saudi Arabia is anticipated to commence on June 26, pending an official announcement by authorities. This year’s Hajj will mark the first gathering of approximately 2.6 million Muslims to perform the Islamic pilgrimage since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In early June, Saudi Arabia unveiled its largest-ever Hajj operation plan as restrictions on the number of pilgrims were lifted. A remarkable workforce of 14,000 staff members and over 8,000 volunteers will be deployed to provide assistance to the millions of Muslims expected to participate in the Hajj.

Furthermore, authorities have made preparations by establishing more than 170 hospitals and health centers at the holy sites in Makkah and Madinah to cater to the healthcare needs of the Hajj pilgrims this year.