Mongolia closes its border with China to contain coronavirus outbreak

China's immediate neighbour, Mongolia has closed all universities and educational institutes until March 2 to prevent the spread of deadly coronavirus. Citing a cabinet meeting, Mongolian state media also said that it has closed the border crossings for auto vehicles and pedestrian traffic from January 27 and called for public gatherings to be cancelled. The death toll in China has hiked up to 80 with nearly 2,800 patients confirmed to be infected with the virus. The country has been trying to step-up the emergency measures to contain the global spread of the pathogen. 

What has made the control of virus more severe is that according to Chinese health authorities, the virus can be spread before any symptoms appear on the carrier. Across the mainland, 15 cities with a combined population of nearly 57 million people have also been placed under full or partial lockdown.

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The Chinese city of Wuhan, which is also the epicentre of the pandemic, has been effectively quarantined. All routes of the city are closed and highly regulated and according to media reports, the government has sent 1,200 health workers along with 135 People's Liberation Army medical personnel to help the city's staff. 

Wuhan's Mayor Zhou Xianwang has also said that the number of cases can rise by another thousand. Since the outbreak has been widely spread in China, with nearly 70 confirmed cases in Beijing, the country has also extended the Lunar Year Holiday to February 2. 

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Japan plans to evacuate citizens

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on January 26 said that the government is making arrangements to fly Japanese citizens from the Chinese city of Wuhan which is the epicentre of coronavirus outbreak. According to international media reports, Abe has said Japanese who wish to be evacated will be flown out on a chartered flight.

Japan and China are currently in talks with the plan of carrying out the evacuation and the Japanese officials are thus working on preparations through the weekend. Japan's PM not only stressed that various options are being considered to help the citizens in China but also said he will let them enter the country. 

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