Photo: Leadership

Hajj, Saudi Arabia

Common cold has become the top killer infection among Nigerian pilgrims performing this year's Hajj with total death toll now 36.

Dr Sabo Garba, the Head of the Nigerian Medical Team in Mecca, disclosed this to the Sultan of Sokoto and National Amirul Hajj, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar.

Garba made the disclosure during the Sultan's visit to the Misfallah clinics in Mecca on Tuesday.

He said common cold often forced to the clinics daily several hundreds of pilgrims, out of the 95,071 Nigerian pilgrims presently in Mecca.

Garba said the medical mission had done its best by treating the affected pilgrims who visited its three clinics in Mecca, Jeddah and Medina.

"So far, 13,636 patients have visited our clinics," he said.

Garba said no fewer than 36 pilgrims had died since the beginning of the Hajj operations out of the 95,071 Nigerian pilgrims that are participating in this year's Hajj.

Of this figure, he said Sokoto state recorded five deaths, the highest among the country's 36 states and the FCT.

Abubakar, while responding, commended the NAHCON staff for providing medical services to Nigerian pilgrims.

NAN