Mongolia closes border to China until March 2 to stop virus

[ULAANBAATAR] Mongolia will close all ports of entry from and into China until March 2 to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus epidemic, the government said on Friday.

It will give its citizens currently in China until Feb 6 to return home, however, though non-Chinese foreign nationals travelling to Mongolia will not be able to do so via China.

Mongolia, which is landlocked between Russia and China, has not yet reported any coronavirus cases. The government said it would work to repatriate 30 Mongolian citizens now in Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak.

REUTERS