Examining Common Diseases in the Arbaeen Ceremony and Prevention Strategies

Background and Aim: The Arbaeen ceremony is considered to be one of the largest and most magnificent mass gatherings in the world. Every year, millions of people march between Najaf Ashraf and Karbala, and on the Arbaeen day of Hosseini, peace be upon him, they gather in Karbala and renew their relationship with the martyrs of Karbala. They swear and honor the memory of the martyrs of Karbala. It is obvious that in this large gathering of millions, various people, including minors, teenagers, young, middle-aged and elderlies, with different cultures, dialects and also levels of health, are present, but all of them are under the love of Imam Hussain (PBUH) and the martyrs of Karbala. Any condition, whether it's hot or cold, encourages this worship. This article examines common diseases in the Arbaeen ceremony in the past and ways to prevent them in the future.
Methods: This study was conducted using the author's experiences and field studies along with the review of articles and official reports, as well as the use of scientific databases.
Results: The results of the study indicate that in addition to the prevalence of COVID-19, Other diseases have been reported during the Arbaeen ceremony, including gastrointestinal and neuromuscular disorders, common respiratory infections, in some cases of skin disorders, and traffic accidents.
Conclusion: Given the emphasis of Islamic teachings on observing personal and social health standards, despite overcrowding and excessive density of traffic during these special days, In addition to reports of the incidence of common and expected diseases in the conducted studies, among which acute digestive diseases had a very small contribution, however, it seems that the necessary measures for prevention or confrontation with any medical and health emergencies should be considered by all officials involved in the ceremony.