Hajj and it’s Implications
There are five components of article of Islam, i.e., creed, prayers, alms, fasting, and Hajj. Muslims are also told that they must go to Mecca at least once in their lifetime if they can afford to do so. This trek is called the Hajj.
Annually, millions of Muslims embark on a religious pilgrimage called the “Hajj” to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. The mass migration during the Hajj is unparalleled in scale, and pilgrims face numerous health hazards. The extreme congestion of people and vehicles during this time amplifies health risks, such as those from infectious diseases, that vary each year. Since the Hajj is dictated by the lunar calendar, which is shorter than the Gregorian calendar, it presents public-health policy planners with a moving target, demanding constant preparedness. We review the communicable and non-communicable hazards that pilgrims face. With the rise in global travel, preventing disease transmission has become paramount to avoid the spread of infectious diseases, including SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), avian influenza, and hemorrhagic fever.
The Hajj occurs every year on dates that vary because the Islamic calendar has never been updated from a lunar base. Mecca is in Saudi Arabia and millions of Muslims from around the world travel there every year.
