Ulaanbaatar
7 Mongolians test positive for COVID-19 abroad
Society
Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. The State Emergency Commission today organized a press briefing and Minister of Foreign Affairs D.Tsogtbaatar and the National Emergency Management Agency Head T.Badral were present.
Mr. Badral informed that seven Mongolian nationals living in foreign countries are reported to have tested positive for COVID-19, including two students in Moscow, Russia.
More than 6,000 Mongolian people in 43 countries have contacted diplomatic missions of Mongolia abroad to return home as commercial flights to Mongolia are stopped and Mongolia has sealed its borders to all passengers at this moment.
Since around 270 Mongolian students currently staying in Russia, the northern neighbor of Mongolia, have expressed their requests to return to Mongolia as soon as possible, the government is taking all necessary measures to bring them back from Moscow, Ulan-Ude and Irkutsk cities to Mongolia through Altanbulag vehicle crossing checkpoint, while ensuring there is no close contact between the students throughout their travel to Mongolia.
It was also reported that another charter flight will be arranged on April 17, Friday, to Seoul, South Korea. However, due to limited number of seats on the plane, preference will be given to those with reasonable excuses, such as health concerns and returning from the USA and Australia via South Korea.
“Considering that there are only two planes viable for charter flights to bring back Mongolians abroad and each cabin crew is taken to isolation for 21 days after their flight, it is not possible to bring all Mongolians willing to return to Mongolia at the same time.” said Minister Tsogtbaatar after assuring that Mongolian diplomatic missions and the government are making every effort to bring back Mongolian citizens from abroad immediately.
He further encouraged Mongolians abroad to travel to countries, from where direct charter flights can be operated to Mongolia, if they wish to be brought to Mongolia by charter flights. As of today, Mongolia has sent eight charter planes to South Korea, Japan, Germany, Turkey and China, which brought more than 1800 Mongolians.
Mr. Badral then mentioned that talks are underway to operate another charter flights to Turkey and European countries in the future. To avoid any risk of coronavirus transmission at mandatory isolation facilities in Ulaanbaatar, charter flights are organized every 7 to 21 days.
