RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi health officials have announced the first swine flu deaths of this year's pilgrimage to Mecca.
Officials say four pilgrims succumbed to the disease soon after arriving in Saudi Arabia. The Health Ministry says none of the victims had been vaccinated and all became sick within two to three days of arriving.
Three of the victims were 75 years old, coming from Sudan, India and Morocco, and the fourth was a 17-year-old Nigerian.
The annual pilgrimage, or hajj (hahj), has become a concern for world health officials because the massive numbers of people brought together from around the world.
The H1N1 flu has killed 66 people in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi government has recommended the elderly, pregnant women, people with chronic diseases and children skip the hajj this year.
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