Mongolia  reported today (18 March), its sixth Covid-19 case after two people returned who had returned on a  flight from Berlin two days ago were confirmed as having coronavirus . The sixth patient was first tested using a rapid testing kit and the result was confirmed later today by the central laboratory of the National Research Center of Communicable Diseases, reports NRCD Director D.Nyamkhuu, Director.

Mongolia first reported covid-19 case on 10 March as a 57-year old French national tested positive for coronavirus several days after arriving in the country from France on 2 March. He is being treated at the NRCD and is stable.

In last three days, five Mongolian citizens who returned on chartered flights from Seoul and Berlin were confirmed as having coronavirus. Two people returned from Seoul and one person from France via Berlin on a March 16 evacuation flight also tested positive. A 30-year old woman who flew in on the same evacuation flight from Berlin was tested positive on coronavirus on 17 March while being under quarantine. She reportedly came from Italy via Germany.

In addition, early this morning, a charter flight operated by MIAT Mongolian Airlines departed to Istanbul, Turkey. The plane is expected to return around 01:00 hrs, March 19, Thursday in Ulaanbaatar, repatriating 249 Mongolian nationals living abroad. Apart from the cabin crew with 4 pilots, two engineers and nine flight attendants, there are two inspection specialists, and a doctor from the NRCD on board the special evacuation charter flight .