Alert on Russian border with Mongolia after two deaths from ‘bubonic plague’

The Mongolian authorities have confirmed the deaths of Mongolian husband and wife from suspected bubonic plague in Ulgii district.

Bayan-Ulgii province's emergency management department said: ‘Preliminary test results show that bubonic plague likely caused the deaths of the two people.’

An ‘indefinite quarantine’ period has been declared to prevent it spreading.

Dramatic pictures showed urgent checks by emergency staff in protective clothing on air passengers arriving in Mongolian capital  Ulaanbaatar on a flight from Bayan, Uglii and Khovd.

Dramatic pictures showed urgent checks by emergency staff in protective clothing on air passengers arriving in Mongolian capital  Ulaanbaatar on a flight from Bayan, Uglii and Khovd

An emergency team from the National Centre for Communicable Diseases and Specialised Border Inspection checked the passengers. 

All passengers from Ulgii were sent to the hospital. Others were examined separately in a sports complex. 

Russian tourists from Siberia and the Urals were affected when a key border crossing was suddenly closed amid suspicion it was related to the plague outbreak. 

Novosibirsk resident Elena told NGS: ‘On the night from 30 April to 1 May the exit from the city of Ulgii was closed because someone died in hospital that night. 

‘This plague is spread by local animals - marmots.’

Russian tourists stuck in western Mongolia after closure of frontier to stop spread of infection

A group of nine tourists has sought help from the Russian consulate. 

An FSB border control officer in Altai Republic said that the frontier was closed due to the May holidays. 

Reports say the border will be shut until 5 May. 

Reports say a man, aged 38, died on 27 April and his pregnant wife, 37, three days later. Their deaths leave four children as orphans aged from two to 13. 

Dr N.Tsogbadrakh, director of National Centre for Zoonotic Dermatology and Medicine, said: 'Despite the fact that eating marmots is banned, Citizen T hunted marmot.

‘He ate the meat and gave it to his wife, and they died because the plague affected his stomach. 

‘Four children are orphaned.’

Dr N.Tsogbadrakh, director of National Centre for Zoonotic Dermatology and Medicine, said: 'Despite the fact that eating marmots is banned, Citizen T hunted marmot

A total of 158 people who came directly or indirectly into contact with the couple are ‘under supervision’.

The plague is a bacterial disease that is spread by fleas living on wild rodents such as marmots. 

The disease can kill an adult in less than 24 hours if not treated in time, according to the World Health Organisation.

The plague is believed to be the cause of the Black Death that spread through Asia, Europe and Africa in the 14th century, killing an  estimated 5o million people.