Picture used for illustrative purpose only.

Saudi Arabia on Monday announced it would hold a "very limited" Hajj this year owing to the coronavirus pandemic, with pilgrims already in the kingdom allowed to take part.

"It was decided to hold the pilgrimage this year with very limited numbers... with different nationalities in the kingdom," the official Saudi Press Agency said, citing the Hajj ministry.

The kingdom said that only people of various nationalities already residing in the country would be allowed to perform the Hajj.

The government did not specify how many people would be permitted to take part.

The Hajj, a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime, represents a major potential source of contagion as it packs millions of pilgrims into congested religious sites.

A full-scale Hajj, which last year drew about 2.5 million pilgrims, was unlikely after authorities advised Muslims in late March to defer preparations due to the fast-spreading disease.

Earlier this month, Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, emerged as one of the first countries to withdraw from the pilgrimage with a minister calling it a "very bitter and difficult decision."

Malaysia, Senegal and Singapore followed suit with similar announcements.

Agencies