Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. Last night, March 16, Ministry of Health announced new confirmed cases of coronavirus, three Mongolian nationals, who just flew in from South Korea and France on evacuation flights, bringing the total number in Mongolia to 4. 

Two of the patients came from Seoul, South Korea, and one arrived from France through a charter flight from Berlin and all are female and aged between 37-60s, reports the Ministry of Health. 

The first imported confirmed coronavirus in Mongolia was recorded on March 10 and the person infected was a French national, who is now being treated at the National Research of the Communicable Diseases (NRCD) in Ulaanbaatar. 

Today’s daily press conference by the Ministry of Health shed light on situations surrounding the new confirmed cases and other issues on Covid-19 outbreak.  

D.Nyamkhuu, Director of the NRCD informed that 111 people, who are identified to have had close contact with patients, were immediately taken to a separate isolation and 61 of them were already tested negative for coronavirus. The remaining contacts are going under test at this moment. Moreover, all people, who arrived on the same plane with the patients to Mongolia and are under mandatory quarantine, and being supervised. 

Officials also informed that a total of 2239 people were taken for isolation under supervision nationwide until today. Right at this time, 1330 people are under isolation, including 256 passengers from Japan, 244 from South Korea and 231 from Germany, who returned on evacuation flights arranged by the government. In addition, cabin crew and inspection officers, who performed duties during the three evacuation flight were also quarantined. 

“293 suspected cases have been tested for coronavirus to date, and four of them were diagnosed to have the virus as we see” says D.Nyamkhuu

Among the passengers aboard the evacuation flights that landed in Ulaanbaatar in the past two days, suspected cases or people with underlying health concerns were taken from the airport to be placed under isolation at the NRCD and others are presently staying at different places, such as Central Military Hospital, local hotels and rehabilitation centers as a precaution at their own expenses and all will remain there for two weeks.  

It was also reported that travelers coming through border crossing points with Russia, such as Altanbulag in Selenge aimag and Tsagaannuur in Bayan-Ulgii aimag, from coronavirus-affected countries, for instance, Canada, France, Spain, Uzbekistan and so forth, are being also placed under isolation as a preventive measure. 

Starting March 13, some local military units and security guard units of government buildings of special importance are also being mobilized in the scope of the country’s efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus. 

Officers of these units are working at several places where, individuals coming from abroad are staying under quarantine, to put in place control mechanisms and ensure maintenance of security and health safety guidelines in those locations. 

As Mongolia has temporarily suspended flights to and from the country, next flight to repatriate Mongolians, who are living abroad from coronavirus-affected countries and have excuses to return home, is scheduled to arrive from Istanbul on March 18, Wednesday.