25,000 Algerian pilgrims to be banned

More than 25,000 Algerians will not be allowed to perform pilgrimage as Arab health ministers decided to ban people over 65 and under 12 along with people suffering from chronic diseases.

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• “Arab health ministers agreed on excluding some categories from performing pilgrimage: people over 65 and under 12 and those affected by chronic diseases,” said Ibrahim El Kordani spokesman for WHO.
• If the Arab countries accept the decision, Algeria will have to exclude around 25,000 Algerians out of 36,000 from the list of pilgrims.
• Earlier, Algerian religious affairs minister Abdellah Ghoulamallah said pilgrims over 70 represent more than 70 percent of the total number of Algerian pilgrims every year. 
• If the 70 percent of the Algerian pilgrims are banned, the government will have to allow select young candidates for this season.
• Algeria is allowed to send 36,000 people to Saudi Arabia to perform pilgrimage.