A patient in critical condition with suspected bubonic plague was admitted to the regional hospital of Gobi-Altai aimag province of Mongolia, located on the border with China, head of the public relations department of the National Center for Zoonotic Infectious DiseasesEnkhbayaryn Dulmaa announced.
A 21-year-old young man was sent to the regional hospital from Bugat settlement in Gobi-Altai province on June 26, TASS says with reference to the department head. He was found to have a number of symptoms of bubonic plague, including a high fever. 40 people who contacted him have been isolated. The results of the analysis for bubonic plague have not yet been received, so the final diagnosis has not yet been confirmed.
Doctors assess the condition of the young man as critical. An infection control regime has been introduced at the regional hospital. The special commission on emergency situations, which held a meeting on the night of June 26-27, decided to introduce a six-day high alert regime in the region.
The high alert regime assumes that the entry and exit of people outside Bugat settlement and province will be limited from June 27 and the next six days. The sale of alcoholic beverages will be temporarily prohibited. All medical institutions located in the region are transferred to high alert mode.
The National Center for Zoonotic Diseases reported the discovery of 137 natural foci of bubonic plague in 17 regions of Mongolia on June 23. Mongolian Minister of Health Sodnomyn Chinzorig attributed the risk of an outbreak of zoonotic infections to the active development of animal husbandry in the country.