Riyadh, Jul 8 (IANS): Saudi Arabia has announced comprehensive health and security measures at ritual sites to protect the safety of pilgrims during the upcoming Haj season.

As many as 25,000 medics and more than 4,000 hospital beds will stand by during the Islamic pilgrimage which ends on the evening of July 12, Xinhua news agency quoted Saudi Health Ministry spokesperson Mohamed Al-Abdal as saying.

Health and emergency centres, mobile health units, and virtual health services are also ready to provide services, Al-Abdal told a joint press conference on the preparedness for the annual pilgrimage.

Meanwhile, Interior Ministry spokesperson Talal Al-Shalhoub said the Ministry is setting up a security cordon at all ritual sites to prevent the entry of illegal pilgrims, in addition to imposing penalties and fines against violators.

This year is the first time since the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020 that Saudi Arabia will allow foreign pilgrims to perform Haj, as the last two seasons were limited only to domestic pilgrims.