Mongolia closes border with China amid virus fears

Mongolia says it has closed its border crossings with China to vehicles and pedestrians. Image: Shutterstock

Mongolia's official news agency says the country's cabinet on Monday closed border crossings with China and suspended university classes to prevent the spread of a new viral disease.



There are no confirmed cases in Mongolia of the coronavirus cases that first surfaced in Wuhan and have now spread to at least a dozen countries. But the Montsame news agency said the cabinet cited the “high risk” of the disease spreading across the country's southern border.



The cabinet also ordered public tours, children's playgrounds and other public activities in the sprawling, sparsely populated North Asian nation to close.



The report said border crossings with China were closed to vehicles and pedestrians.



Universities and other higher education institutions were ordered closed until March 2. That followed an earlier order for public schools and kindergartens to close effective Monday until March 2.



Chinese health authorities said the new coronavirus had infected 2,744 people and killed 80 as of midnight Sunday. (AP)