The death toll from this year's hajj has reached 1,000, according to an AFP count released Thursday.
According to an Arab official, 58 of the fresh deaths reported Thursday were Egyptian visitors, with 630 being unregistered.
.jpg)
Around ten nations have recorded 1,081 deaths during the trip, which is one of Islam's five pillars and requires all Muslims with the means to participate at least once.
The Hajj, timed according to the lunar Islamic calendar, occurred this year during Saudi Arabia's scorching summer.
This week, the National Meteorological Centre observed a high of 51.8 degrees Celsius at the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
According to a Saudi research released last month, temperatures in the area are rising by 0.4 degrees Celsius every decade.
Tens of thousands of pilgrims attempt to attend the Hajj through unofficial methods every year because they cannot afford the often expensive legal visas.
Saudi officials claimed expelling hundreds of thousands of unregistered pilgrims from Mecca this month, but it appears that many continue to participate in the major ceremonies, which began last Friday.
This group was especially susceptible since they could not use the air-conditioned venues allocated for the 1.8 million approved pilgrims without official permission.
"People were tired after being chased by security forces before Arafat day. They were exhausted," one Arab diplomat told AFP on Thursday of Saturday's day-long outdoor prayers that marked the hajj's climax.
The ambassador stated that the heat was the leading cause of mortality among Egyptian pilgrims, triggering problems such as high blood pressure and other concerns.
According to a foreign ministry statement released on Thursday, Egyptian authorities were visiting hospitals to gather information and assist Egyptian pilgrims in receiving medical care.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has directed that a "crisis cell" led by the prime minister investigate the killings of the country's pilgrims.
