The Mongolian National Emergency Commission decided on Monday (10 February) to suspend the Tsagaan Sar celebration. This came at the request of the health minister. According to law, the decision must be discussed by the National Security Council of Mongolia which is led by the president.

According to the health minister, Mongolia needs to suspend Tsagaan Sar (Lunar New Year) in order to prevent the spread of the highly infectious coronavirus. It is a matter of great concern that 39 cases have been reported in Erenhot, which is just across the border in China’s Inner Mongolia.  All 31 provinces of China have been hit by coronavirus after Beijing failed to stop travel before Chinese Lunar New Year.

In Mongolia, health officials are providing training about coronavirus to over 1000 doctors and have prepared nearly 800 hospital beds. Of these, more than 200 have been provided from the National Centre for Communicable Disease and 100 from the National Emergency Management Agency.