As the novel coronavirus continues to spread across the world, many countries are experiencing shortages of blood reserves for meeting urgent needs. With 158 imported cases of coronavirus, Mongolia is facing a serious blood shortage brought on by the pandemic restrictions. The blood banks are at risk of running dry following a 40 percent drop in blood supply in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, where half of Mongolia’s population lives.

The most likely explanations for the drop is that Mongolia has implemented large-scale social restrictions which limit people’s movement, closed universities and other educational establishments; there is also a fear of transmission of coronavirus infection among blood donors.

‘If any donor willing to donate their blood, then it will help save human lives and aid national security’ noted N.Erdebebayar, director of National Blood Center.