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Middle Eastern Virus May Mar Hajj Pilgrimage
posted on October 13, 2013At The Washington Post, Omar Sacirbey writes for Religion News Service about a virus that’s threatening to Muslim pilgrims’ annual trip to Mecca, known as the Hajj. There have already been 120 cases of the virus, named the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, in Saudi Arabia, with 49 of those resulting in death. The upcoming pilgrimage, from October 13-18, is expected to draw almost 3 million pilgrims. Saudi officials are issuing fewer Hajj visas this year, but are also taking precautionary measures, by increasing vaccinations and testing for MERS.