CAIRO: The death toll among Egyptian pilgrims preparing to perform the annual event of Hajj in Saudi Arabia rose to six after an old woman died Thursday, according to the Ministry of Health.
Hundreds of thousands of Muslims worldwide are flocking into the city of Mecca as the rituals of Hajj, meaning pilgrimage, is to begin September 22.
The Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is the largest Muslim gathering through the year, during which deaths among pilgrims occur, either due to stampedes or sudden health crises.
Four Egyptians passed away after circulatory collapse and one died after a reported battle with liver cancer.
Approximately 70,000 Egyptian pilgrims are traveling to Mecca to perform the rituals this year. Some 25,157 have visited outpatient clinics in Mecca and Medina thus far, and 44 pilgrims have undergone dialysis.
In a separate incident, two Egyptian pilgrims died and some 30 were injured after a construction crane collapsed in the Grand Mosque in Mecca city.