AKIPRESS.COM - Mongolian government decided to extend the current state of 'all-out-preparedness' and associated strict lockdown measures until 6 AM, May 8, Saturday, Montsame reports.

The decision was made on the basis of suggestions from the Ministry of Health and State Emergency Commission with a view to contain the increasing COVID-19 community transmission.

On April 8, the government had resolved to impose the strict lockdown measures and enter into the Red Level – Level 4 of COVID-19 emergency preparedness regime for a total of 16 days from April 10 to 25 and granted a one-time cash payment of MNT 300 thousand as part of a lockdown relief initiative.

During the period now extended to May 8, only essential businesses are allowed to operate and residents are urged to access essential services, grocery stores, medical care, and pharmacies near their homes.

Mongolia’s daily new COVID-19 cases have exceeded 1,000. As of April 23, the total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country have reached 27,956, including 24,242 cases recorded in Ulaanbaatar city and 69 coronavirus-related deaths.

The public vaccination program, which was paused since April 10, has resumed today, to cover all groups of the vaccination target – around 2 million adult populations of the country. Between April 23 and 26, people who received the first dose of vaccines and could not get the second shot on schedule due to the vaccine rollout suspension, as well as people aged over 55 will be vaccinated at a total of 160 vaccination sites.

As of April 23, 649,236 people have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 64,469 have been fully vaccinated.