Umrah Pilgrims Are Advised to Wear Face Masks For New Covid-19 Variant

Saudi Arabia’s public security authority has urged Umrah pilgrims to start wearing face masks when visiting the holy sites.

The advice comes in line with global concerns and reports of a new variant of the deadly coronavirus spreading around the world.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a new strain of coronavirus is now being tracked and detected as new global cases reached around 1.5m from July 10 to August 6, an 80 percent increase compared to the previous 28 days.

The EG.5, which is also known as Eris, is a sublineage of the omicron variant and has been detected in 51 countries; the United States, China, South Korea and Japan, according to an initial risk evaluation.

While the overall risk is not relatively high, “based on its genetic features, immune escape characteristics, and growth rate estimates, EG.5 may spread globally and contribute to a surge in case incidence.”

Saudi security authorities have encouraged Umrah pilgrims to wear face masks to ensure the protection of their health and the protection of others in the Kingdom.