21 Nigerian pilgrims die in Saudi Arabia

The death toll of Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia has risen to 21 from 14, a week before the Hajj rites, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
NAN quotes the National Hajj Commission’s weekly public health bulletin “No one” dated October 29, which showed that the male pilgrims
had the highest mortality rate of 13.

The bulletin shows that Katsina State has the highest figure of four; Sokoto, three; while Kano, Lagos, Zamfara and Ogun recorded two deaths each.
Oyo, Gombe, Yobe and the Nigerian armed forces recorded one death each.
It also stated that 53 patients had been referred to Saudi hospitals, with 39 cases recorded in Medina, four in Jeddah and 10 in Mecca.

The bulletin states that 90 per cent of the patients had been discharged.
“So far, no single case of delivery has been reported. However, there were two cases of spontaneous abortion reported from Misfallah Clinic in Mecca by female pilgrims from Sokoto and Adamawa states. All mothers are in a satisfactory condition,” it added.
The bulletin shows that 7,496 Nigerian pilgrims have so far visited the six clinics being operated by the medical mission in Jeddah, Medina and Mecca, with common cold and hypertension topping the list of cases reported at the clinics.

It also highlighted the problems faced during the Arafat and Muna operations, blaming the Saudi authorities’ poor response to distress calls and the blocking of road networks by security operatives, which hindered the evacuation of sick pilgrims.
“The late removal of refuse bins by Balidiya in state and VIP tents in some cases did not help improve our sanitation efforts,” it added.