Mongolia’s gross domestic product fell 6.1 percent in the first quarter compared to the same period last year, the country’s National Statistics Office said on Wednesday (20 May).

The country’s economy amounted to 7.2 trillion Mongolian tugriks (over 2.5 billion U.S. dollars) in the first three months of this year, the NSO said.

The contraction reflects the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has prompted the country to take restrictive measures since January, said the agency.

As of Wednesday, Mongolia has confirmed a total of 140 COVID-19 cases, including four non-nationals. All 140 cases are imported, mostly from Russia.

Among those infected, 26 people have recovered so far.

A French national tested positive for the virus on March 10, becoming the first case in Mongolia.

There have been no local infections or deaths reported in Mongolia so far.