Hajj pilgrimage to return to pre-pandemic levels

Annual hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia will return to pre-pandemic levels this year after restrictions saw the annual religious commemoration curtailed over concerns about the coronavirus, authorities said on Monday.

Saudi Hajj and Umrah Minister announced the lifting of the restrictions, including the returning the numbers of pilgrims to what they were before the pandemic, without any age restrictions. Before the pandemic, the pilgrimage drew millions each year to Islam's holy city of Mecca.  But in 2020 amid the lockdowns, only about 1,000 residents were allowed to perform the Muslim pilgrimage.