The authorities in Mongolia have issued a bubonic plague alert after 22 dead marmots were confiscated near the capital Ulan Bator.

The police department in Mongolia has issued a bubonic plague alert following the discovery of 22 dead marmots, confiscated from a vehicle heading to Ulan Bator. Authorities are working intensively to prevent the spread of the disease, with 137 soums from 17 provinces considered at-risk areas. Bubonic plague, transmitted by rodent fleas, can be fatal if not treated quickly.