‘Number of Jordanians who die of heat exhaustion during Hajj reaches 99’

AMMAN — The number of Jordanians, who died of heat exhaustion while performing Hajj, has reached 99, according to the latest update announced by the Foreign Ministry on Sunday.

The ministry added in a statement that 21 Jordanian pilgrims are receiving treatment at Saudi hospitals now, of which 16 are reported in critical condition. Director of the ministry‘s operations and consular affairs department, Sufian Qudah, said that 99 permits have been issued to bury the dead pilgrims in the Holy City of Mecca according to their families’ wish.

He also said that coordination was under way to transfer 16 pilgrims to receive treatment in Jordan. 

Of the 112 pilgrims reported missing on the ministry’s list, 97 have been found, he said. Qudah said that search was underway for the remaining pilgrims in joint efforts with the crisis cell formed for that purpose. The diplomat expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased pilgrims.