By David Meshioye
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has announced the passing away of 14 pilgrims in Saudi Arabia as 2023 Hajj operation gets to its closing date.
Chief of Operations and Head of the NAHCON National Medical Team, Dr Usman Galadima disclosed at a post-Arafat meeting with stakeholders on Sunday in Makkah that seven pilgrims died before Arafat while six died during the five-day Mashair and an additional one person died after the Arafat.
“We had six reported death at Mashair, four died in Arafat and the other two died in Mina. Already we lost seven pilgrims before Arafat and just now I have just been informed that we lost another pilgrim. This brings the total of deaths recorded to 14.
“The mortality rate is similar to that of 2019,” he said.
He also revealed that the medical team recorded three cases of chickenpox during the core hajj period and the affected pilgrims were immediately moved out of the area as a preventive measure to avoid the spread of the disease.
