Mongolia reports first COVID-19 cases in animals

ULAN BATOR- At least seven beavers in Mongolia have tested positive for COVID-19, the country's National Center for Zoonotic Diseases (NCZD) said Saturday.

"Workers of the Beaver Breeding Center at the Environmental Department of the capital Ulan Bator tested positive for the COVID-19 in August. After that, the COVID-19 Delta variant were detected in seven beavers," Nyamdorj Tsogbadrakh, director of the NCZD, told local media.

It is the first time that COVID-19 has been detected in animals in Mongolia, Tsogbadrakh said.

The infected beavers showed symptoms of cough, runny nose, sticky eyes and others, he said, adding that the beavers have already recovered from the disease.

The disease has spread to the capital city and all 21 provinces of the country, and the Delta variant, in particular, has been detected in the capital and 20 provinces.

Mongolia, with a population of around 3.4 million, has registered a total of 252,648 COVID-19 cases, with 1,021 related deaths.