Mongolia reports 3 more suspected cases of bubonic plague

Source: Xinhua| 2020-08-26 14:22:48|Editor: huaxia

ULAN BATOR, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Three more suspected cases of the bubonic plague have been reported in the central Mongolian province of Uvurkhangai, the health ministry said Wednesday.

"Three suspected cases of the plague are now under isolation at a local hospital. They are members of the same family or mother and her two children," Dorj Narangerel, head of public relations and surveillance department of the health ministry, told a press conference.

They have eaten marmot meat earlier last week, said Narangerel, warning citizens not to hunt marmots or eat marmot meat.

Although hunting marmots is illegal in Mongolia, many Mongolians regard the rodent as a delicacy.

Since the beginning of this year, 16 suspected cases of the bubonic plague have been reported across the Asian country, four of which were confirmed by laboratory tests.

The country's National Center for Zoonotic Diseases said that 17 out of all 21 Mongolian provinces are now at risk of the infectious disease.

The bubonic plague is a bacterial disease that can be spread by fleas living on wild rodents such as marmot and can kill an adult in less than 24 hours if not treated in time, according to the World Health Organization. Enditem

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