Cheikh Berbara: « I can’t prevent those sick and elderly from accomplishing Hadj ritual »

The General Manager of the National Office of the Hadj and Omra, Cheikh Berbara, has called on those pilgrims who will accomplish the ritual of the Omra or small pilgrimage in the holy places of Islam in Saudi Arabia during the month of Ramadhan, to take all preventive measures in order to avert the “Corona virus” which has already affected tens of people in the Saudi Kingdom over the past few months.

To this effect, the health Ministry has advised Algerian pilgrims to wash their hands regularly with soap, to wear a face-mask, to use paper-made handkerchiefs for a single use in case of a cough and a sneeze and to strictly abide by sanitation rules in general, the office indicated in a communiqué.

The National Office of the Hadj and the Omra further advised all old people and those suffering from chronic diseases to postpone the fulfillment of the Omra in a bid to ward off being affected by this Corona disease.

 However, Cheikh Berbara said in a statement to Echorouk that he was not entitled to bar those people from accomplishing the Hadj ritual if they are given the required green light by the health authorities.