The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has so far issued more than 650,000 electronic Umrah permits as of Oct. 23, according to a ministry official. Additionally, over a million people have registered for Umrah through the “Eatmarna” app, Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Abdul Fattah Mashat said in an interview to Al Akhbariya TV.
Worshippers need to register through the Eatmarna app to obtain a permit to perform the pilgrimage as well as visit the Rawdah Sharif and the Grand Mosque.
The third phase of the pilgrimage’s resumption will start on November 1st, which will allow 20,000 pilgrims a day to perform their Umrah amid strict social distancing measures. Also, 10,000 pilgrims will arrive each week in Saudi Arabia starting November 1st. However, only pilgrims between the age of eighteen and fifty will be allowed. The Umrah permits are highly in demand according to Al-Maddah, therefore people cannot register or book for more than one at a time.
The Eatmarna app is linked with Tawakkalna’s app which verifies if the person registering has any underlying health issues related to the current pandemic. Additionally, those who have been in contact with people who have COVID-19 or suspect that they themselves are infected with the virus can cancel their registration with no questions asked.
On the 25th of October, there were 323 new COVID cases and 15 COVID deaths reported in Saudi Arabia. There are 8,249 active cases in the Kingdom currently.
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