A suspected case of bubonic plague was registered in Yaruu soum of Zavkhan Province, and the rapid test was positive, according to the National Research Center for Zoonotic Disease (NRCZD).

In this regard, Head of the Emergency Management Department of Zavkhan Province, Colonel O.Bold said, “A citizen of Yaruu soum got sick from the marmot that the dog was biting a few days ago, and his family ate it. The citizen went to the hospital because he had a fever. The hospital took immediate measures, reported to the Health Department, and after testing, the indicators of bubonic plague were high. First of all, we are working to identify and isolate the patient’s first and second close contacts. For the first contact, many people came to the hospital. The patient participated in the worship at a hill ceremony in the center of the province.”

By order of the Governor of Zavkhan Province, it was decided to limit the movement of people leaving and entering Yaruu soum and Uliastai soum for six days starting from September 19.

Since the beginning of the year, four cases of bubonic plague have been registered in Mongolia. Especially, one case was registered in Ulaanbaatar city from Khentii Province, one case was reported in Khovd Province, and two cases were reported in Govi-Altai Province, as stated at NRCZD. In Mongolia, 692 cases of bubonic plague were recorded from 1928 to 2018. Of those, 513 died of the disease, equivalent to a mortality rate of just over 74 percent.

According to the Order No. 193 of 2021 of the Minister of Environment and Tourism, the hunting of marmots for domestic and industrial purposes is banned for three years. It aims to determine the population, distribution area, and outbreaks of infectious diseases in Mongolia, to prevent bubonic plague and to ensure the health and safety of citizens. Since the beginning of the year, above 430 cases of illegal transportation of marmots have been registered. Following Article 24.5 of the Criminal Code, based on “Hunting from a specially protected area of the state without a permit”, a fine of five to 27,000 units, as well as one to five years of imprisonment and restriction of travel rights, were imposed.