
Muslims pray at the Grand mosque during the annual Haj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia August 29, 2017.(Photo: Reuters)
The death toll among Egyptians taking part in the annual hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia has reached 57, the Egyptian health ministry announced on Tuesday.
In statements to state-owned MENA agency, the head of Egypt's hajj medical commission, Ahmed El-Ansary, said the most recent deaths were of two women and a man.
He attributed their deaths to respiratory issues and cardiac arrest.
Deaths from heat exhaustion, fatigue and other natural causes are a common occurrence among pilgrims on the hajj in Saudi Arabia.
In 2016, 43 Egyptians died of natural causes during the pilgrimage.
Saudi authorities say more than two million Muslims participated in this year's hajj season.
The five-day pilgrimage started on Wednesday and concluded on Monday.
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