coronavirus, it made us very scared and made the situation very difficult," said Palestinian pilgrim Hassan Jabari. Saudi Arabia, which last year allowed a few thousand to perform the Hajj, is home to Islam's holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, and the country strives to ensure a peaceful haj, which has been marred in the past by deadly stampedes, fires and riots.
With the coronavirus the main concern this year, authorities have restricted access to pilgrims aged 18 to 65 who have been fully vaccinated or immunised against the virus and do not suffer from chronic diseases.
Robots are being used to disinfect the Grand Mosque in Mecca and its courtyard and also to distribute bottles of zamzam water, pumped from a holy well in Mecca, to