Heatwave: Egypt’s Hajj death toll hits 600

Arriving Muslim pilgrims walk at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca on June 4, 2024 ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage. (Photo by Abdel Ghani BASHIR / AFP)

An Arab diplomat told AFP on Wednesday that at least 600 Egyptians died during the hajj pilgrimage, citing searing heat that reached 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit) on Monday.

“All of the (newly confirmed) deaths were because of the heat as well,” the diplomat said after Arab officials earlier reported a figure of at least 323 Egyptian deaths.