Mina, outskirts of Makkah, Dhu-AlHijjah 6, 1439, Aug 17, 2018, SPA-- Ministry of Health confirmed here today that, so far, no cases of epidemics or quarantine disease have been reported among the pilgrims of this Year Hajj season, highlighting that the health situation is reassuring, God grace. The total number of those who were provided with preventive services through the health outlets from the 1st of the month of Dhu al-Qa'dah until now reached 1647351 pilgrims, while the general rate of commitment among the pilgrims to take preventive vaccines, stood, to date, at about 80% for meningitis, 96.3% for yellow fever and 87.5% for polio, the ministry statement added. Ministry's hospitals, in Makkah and Madinah, continue to provide specialized services for pilgrims, during the Hajj season this year. It carried out 187 cardiac catheterizations and 10 open heart operations, the statement monitored from the beginning of the month of Dhu al-Qa'dah, which precedes Dhu-AlHijjah, to the 5th day of Dhu-AlHijjah. During the above-mentioned period, 1,280 cases of blood transfusion (kidney), 150 laparoscopy and 488 surgeries were conducted, according to the statement. Meanwhile, the ministry also provided emergency services, in Makkah and Madinah hospitals, to 280,773 pilgrims, bringing to 17820 the total number of visits to clinics, while the medical centers, for its part, received 246,156 outpatients, the ministry stated. On the other hand, the number of cases hospitalized was 1651, but nor more than 9 birth-giving cases were recorded. Statement of the ministry noted that 11 cases of thermal stress and one case of heat stroke were recorded, and that medical care was provided for these cases, accordingly. Ministry of Health focuses on the preventive and proactive aspects for pilgrims and follows developments and changes in the global health situation, in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other internationally-recognized health bodies, such as the International Centers for Disease Control and has taken many precautionary measures, including issuance of requirements and circulating it in all countries where the pilgrims come from, through the embassies of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and chanceries abroad, for granting Hajj and Umrah related visas, in addition to reactivating 12 centers for medical check-up, at all pilgrims' entry crossing stations, in the Kingdom. -- SPA 21:15 LOCAL TIME 18:15 GMT 0030 www.spa.gov.sa/w734406