Mongolia stops all civilian air and rail travel to and from China
Mongolia is on high alert to prevent the spread of the coronavirus although no confirmed case has been registered. The government has shut down schools, kindergartens and universities, and banned all public events until March 2. The Health Ministry officials had budgeted 4.2 billion MNT from the government’s reserve fund to prevent coronavirus infections and prepare healthcare facilities.
The National Center for Infectious Disease advises regularly wearing masks, sanitizing hands and phone screens.
NO CONFIRMED CASES
The Ministry of Health reported on February 16 that suspected cases are increasing with no confirmed case in Mongolia.
Five suspected cases quarantined at the National Center for Infectious Disease and a seven-year-old child in Songino soums in Zakhan Province tested negative for the coronavirus.
Two people in Ulaanbaatar and three in Zamiin Uud border checkpoint are quarantined due to possible signs of the new virus. There are a total of 133 suspected cases in Mongolia.
Head of Surveillance Services of the National Center for Infectious Disease A.Ambaselmaa said, “104 people came from Erenhot to Mongolia through Zamiin Uud border checkpoint and one of them showed suspicious symptoms and was quarantined.
Another 103 passengers will be isolated for 14 days. Before the travelers were allowed to cross the Zam-Uud border, three large hotels were freed up to quarantine them for 14 days.”
In recent days, the number of passengers coming from China is increasing. Officials highlighted that illegal border closing might be increasing.
ALL FLIGHT AND RAIL TRAVEL FROM CHINA BANNED
Cabinet held an irregular meeting and decided to ban all civilian air and rail travel to and from China. Export and import shipments across Mongolia’s borders with China will continue as normal.
For passengers who have already purchased tickets to and from China, MIAT Mongolian Airlines and Ulaanbaatar Railway will handle their refund.
In accordance with the government resolution on February 1, Mongolian citizens are restricted from traveling to China until March 02.
Head of the Council Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs L.Munkhtushig said, “We will arrange to bring about 400 citizens who want to return to their homeland. If they submit a request, we will address it. We are also working to address about 50 citizens who had already received tickets to travel to Erenhot and Hohhot.”
Over the past two weeks, around 6,000 Mongolian nationals returned from China through all border crossing points, and since February 6, through Zamiin-Uud and Buyant-Ukhaa border checkpoints.
In the case of Mongolian nationals living in China are in need of returning to Mongolia after the complete travel ban, charter flights may be arranged. However, they will be asked to cover their own travel expenses and will be isolated temporarily once they arrive in Mongolia.
NO SHORTAGE OF FOOD
In accordance with the border closure, the public worried that Mongolia might face a shortage of food. The Food and Agriculture Ministry assured that export and import shipments across Mongolia’s borders with China will continue as normal and only export of chicken, pork and egg products is banned due to the spread of bird flu in China.
The ministry said food products and supplies will not experience any barriers and markets and shopping centers will not be shut down.
UNICEF SUPPORT FOCUSED ON CHILDREN
In connection with the preventive measures of the Mongolian government against coronavirus infection, UNICEF Mongolia is focusing on children’s health, education, protection, nutrition, social protection, information and communication.
For children’s protection, UNICEF Mongolia supports to activate joint teams of khoroos and soums in the prevention of potential risks and ensuring children’s safety.
In the health sector, UNICEF Mongolia provided equipment for maintaining the control and infection protections at hospitals in Bayanzurkh District and Bayankhongor Province.
UNICEF distributed posters and leaflets for families, communities, and passengers alongside video tips on health for parents and children.
BUSES TO SERVE ONLY THOSE WITH FACE MASKS
The Ulaanbaatar Emergency Commission held a meeting on February 15 and discussed the prevention work for the coronavirus.
Mayor S.Amarsaikhan ordered the Traffic Police Department, the Ulaanbaatar Professional Inspection Department and Ulaanbaatar Police Department take several measures, including:
• To disinfect streets and squares where necessary
• To schedule arrangements for disinfection at shopping malls
• To sanitize one-stop shops
• To issue fines for spitting in public
• Require drivers to disinfect their vehicle
• Buses will require all passengers to wear masks
• Announce those who are spreading fake new and rumors about coronavirus
• Religious organizations will be banned from holding public events
Mayor S.Amarsaikhan said, “Although this virus is not detected in Mongolia as of today, we should not be at ease. Worldwide, coronavirus infections are increasing every hour. Special attention should be paid by heads of district special commissions. We have to monitor and supervise homes and places with crowded people. Residents have to follow recommendations.”
In addition, 30 fairs and trades in Bayanzurkh, Khan-Uul, Bayangol, Songinokhairkhan, Sukhbaatar and Baganuur districts were canceled, and advertisement boards were removed.
MONGOLIANS WHO GRADUATED IN CHINA DONATE 33 MILLION MNT TO CHINA
Mongolia’s China Alumni Association and Wuhan Alumni Association donated 22 million MNT to the Wuhan city hospital and handed over the donation on February 14 to the Embassy of China in Mongolia. The fund raising campaign was launched on January 23 with more than 3,000 people giving donations.
Head of the China Alumni Association B.Artur said, “We will be with China and our friends there in overcoming this serious disease. More than 10,000 citizens of Mongolia graduated from Chinese universities since 2016 and now work in all parts of the country. I am glad that more than 3,000 alumni and students were involved in the donation campaign.”
Ambassador of China to Mongolia Chai Wenrui mentioned that the government of Mongolia, public organizations and individuals has been supporting China.
“Thousands of Chinese people thanked Mongolian people for their kindness and left comments in social media. They also pray that no one else will suffer from this disease, Mongolians are among them,” the ambassador said.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE CENTER MANUFACTURES 1,459 MASKS
The Authority for Fair Competition and Consumer Protection reported that they started to inspect Monos LLC due to rising prices of masks. Many people complained about the shortage of masks leading to increased prices.
Monos LLC sold N95 masks for 5,000 to 7,000 MNT, which was priced at 2,000 MNT before.
The Emergency Medical Service Center of Ulaanbaatar said it manufactured 1,450 masks to provide its medical staff and drivers with face masks to ensure readiness and prevent the coronavirus spread. The total cost of the material for masks was 426,900 MNT, which means each mask cost 295 MNT to make.
CHINA TESTS PLASMA OF RECOVERED PATIENTS FOR TREATMENT
Chinese state-owned drugmaker announced on Thursday that more than 10 patients have found relief in a therapy program involving plasma collected from recovered patients.
Twelve to 24 hours after the patients received the treatment, they exhibited improved clinical symptoms, with main inflammatory indexes significantly decreased and some key indexes such as blood oxygen saturation comprehensively improved, according to China National Biotec Group, a subsidiary of state-owned China National Pharmaceutical Group Corp.
The program began on February 8 with three patients in critical condition at a hospital in Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus, and later expanded to include more. The donated plasma underwent strict blood safety tests, virus inactivation and antiviral activity trials, the drugmaker said.
The program was carried out three days after top health authorities released an updated version of the guideline over the diagnosis and treatment of the virus. The latest document recommended convalescent plasma for clinical use.
The drugmaker started collecting the plasma from recovered patients on January 20 to prepare therapeutic products including convalescent plasma and immunoglobulin. The company said it has allocated 400 million CNY in funds for the coronavirus-related research and development.
The progress comes as scientists have scrambled to find a specific drug to combat the contagion, which has killed 1,668 people in China as of Sunday. Experts say recovery mainly relies on antibodies generated by the immune system.
Six out of 28 patients discharged from hospitals in Shanghai on Friday have offered to donate their plasma for that very purpose, said Paper.cn, quoting a health official.
According to a recruitment statement by China National Biotec Group, donors must be confirmed as recovered novel coronavirus patients. Donors should be aged between 18 and 60 and must be healthy after being discharged.
Thirty-two patients who have recovered from the novel coronavirus had donated 10,650 ml of plasma by Saturday, said China National Biotec Group which is state-owned biological products maker reported on February 16.
The clinical results showed that patients’ clinical symptoms have improved significantly 12 to 24 hours after the treatment, with inflammatory indicators in the laboratory decreasing significantly and some key indicators, such blood oxygen saturation, showing promising results.
Convalescent plasma has also been proved effective in the treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola virus disease.
...Worldwide, coronavirus infections are increasing every hour. Special attention should be paid by heads of district special commissions. We have to monitor and supervise homes and places with crowded people. Residents have to follow recommendations...