The rural three-story hospital has run out of beds. A thin young woman sits in a narrow bunk, borrowed from a nearby dormitory. A masked, hooded nurse carefully examines her, using a handheld radio to communicate with a doctor across the crowded facility.

The patient, Ganzul Tsogtgerel, is a 20-year-old business student at the University of the Humanities in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital. Although fully vaccinated and diligent about wearing a mask, she caught a COVID-19 “breakthrough infection” while summering with her parents in Arkhangai province.

“It was already 16 days past my second dose,” she says in disbelief. “Suddenly one day, I had a headache, coughed and lost my sense of taste and smell.”

Ganzul’s shock and disappointment mirror the national mood.

Based on its healthy population, border controls and stockpile of free vaccines – Oxford-AstraZeneca from the United Kingdom, Pfizer-BioNTech from the United States, Sinopharm from China, and Sputnik V from Russia – Mongolia’s officials confidently promised a “COVID-free summer” in early April.

But the virus had other plans.

As temperatures rose, so did Mongolia’s COVID-19 numbers, fueled by a convergence of political events, holiday travel and breakthrough cases – particularly among those who had received AstraZeneca or Sinopharm shots, which the World Health Organization reports are only 63% and 79% effective, respectively, against symptomatic infection.

To top it off, the government’s ambitions of achieving herd immunity stalled as a growing anti-vaccination movement seized on each setback.

“People who got vaccinated have also been infected with the coronavirus anyway,” says Baigal Nyamjav, 37, an accountant in Ulaanbaatar who has rejected the jabs for his family. “Maybe in five or eight years we’ll have a well-tested and improved vaccine.”

Mongolia’s COVID-free summer had seemed well within reach in May, when it was vaccinating people faster than any other country, according to the Global Disaster Preparedness Center, a joint initiative of the American Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. With more than one-third of the population at least partly vaccinated, the government announced 50,000 Mongolian togrog ($18) cash incentives for second-dose recipients and eased lockdown measures on May 8.

“People started organizing trips and picnics, as well as meetings among friends and families a lot as soon as the lockdown was lifted,” says Myagmarsuren Erbat, a resident doctor. “Many factors also made impact on the increasing COVID-19 prevalence and outbreak, in terms of multiple state medal and award handover ceremonies, and subsequent home celebrations by the recipients.”

On May 24, the start of the presidential campaign period, Mongolia recorded 539 new cases; on June 10, the day after the election, the number reached 1,312.

Campaign regulations had required venues to be disinfected and all participants remain masked and at least 1.5 meters (5 feet) apart, but witnesses say the rules were not strictly enforced – and there were no limits on attendance.

“A distance between people was only one chair, which is 40 centimeters [16 inches] at most,” says Bilguun Jamsran, describing an event in western Mongolia’s Uvs province with several hundred voters.

Concerned, authorities canceled celebrations for the National Naadam Festival but not the public holiday itself; cases continued to spike as families gathered for the July 10-19 observance, which honors Mongolia’s nomadic spirit.

As the virus quickly, quietly spread, so did the Vaccine Opposition Association, founded by seven women earlier this year. On Facebook, they share stories about vaccine side effects and breakthrough infections, encourage homeopathic treatments such as burning thyme and horse manure, and organize protests.

“Just four hours after we went on hunger strike, the police dispersed us,” says one of the group’s founders, Otgontsetseg Sanjaa, 48, of Ulaanbaatar, who demonstrated outside Government House on May 26 and has helped collect more than 3,000 signatures demanding a pause in vaccinations.

Other anti-vaxxers follow the Ministry of Health’s pandemic advice regarding masking, sanitizing and social distancing – but draw the line at shots, which they fear are too new to be safe. In response, Dashpagma Otgonbayar, director of the Vaccination Department of the National Center for Communicable Diseases, explains that the World Health Organization approved all four formulas, and that vaccinated patients experience milder cases than their unvaccinated peers.

Where government directives and incentives have failed, seeing the impact of severe infections – and hearing about the more contagious delta variant – has convinced some hesitant Mongolians to change their minds.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get vaccinated; if vaccinated, COVID would be milder,” says Enkhjargal Batbayar, 39, a nomadic herder from Arkhangai who spent 13 days hospitalized in March. “While I was being treated, my husband and two children were vaccinated.”

L. Enkhsaikhan, head of the health ministry’s Public Health Policy and Implementation Coordination Department, confirms that Mongolians “are actively getting vaccinated” and adds that AstraZeneca booster shots are being given to eligible medical workers and law enforcement.

Even from her hospital room, where she ended up despite her best efforts, Ganzul has urged people to get vaccinated as soon as possible, with any option available.

“Vaccines are the brainchild of many intelligent people around the world,” she says. “They have overcome plagues.”

By the last day of August, Mongolia had recorded 213,820 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 931 deaths. The percentages were relatively small – less than 6% of its population infected, and of those, less than 1% died – but large enough to ruin the country’s plans for a COVID-free summer, or even autumn and winter.

Perhaps if everyone gets vaccinated, Ganzul says, Mongolia’s COVID-free summer can happen in 2022.

BY: Myagmarsuren Battur is a Global Press Journal reporter based in Mongolia.

Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia's health sector is now in a difficult situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic with its workload having "reached its peak," Health Minister Sereejav Enkhbold said Monday.

Even if additional beds are prepared at hospitals, there is now no medical staff to work there, he told a press conference, urging the public to follow all relevant health guidelines to protect themselves and their loved ones.

Although over 65 percent of the country's population of around 3.4 million have been fully vaccinated, the resurgence of COVID-19 has continued due to the Delta wave, and more than 2,000 infections and nearly 20 deaths have been reported daily in the country.

The Asian country has so far confirmed a total of 298,519 COVID-19 cases, with 1,169 related deaths.

Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia registered 2,153 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, bringing its national tally to 298,519, the health ministry said Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the countrywide death toll rose by 17 to 1,169 in the past 24 hours.

A total of 62,415 infected patients are receiving home-based care due to limited hospital beds and medical staff, the ministry said.

"Our country's health sector is now in a difficult situation due to the pandemic. The workload of this sector has reached its peak," Health Minister Sereejav Enkhbold said.

So far, 65 percent of Mongolia's population have been fully vaccinated since the Asian country launched a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign in late February.

However, the resurgence of COVID-19 has continued due to the Delta variant, and more than 2,000 infections and nearly 20 deaths have been reported daily in the country.

Indoor service facilities such as restaurants, karaoke and bars are not allowed to work after 10 p.m from Oct. 1 to Nov. 1 as part of the efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, the country's State Emergency Commission has said.

During the period, any indoor gatherings of more than 20 people are not allowed, the commission said.

According to World Bank, Mongolia’s economic growth is projected to expand by 4.5 percent this year, nearly 2 percentage points less than previous forecast. As for 2022, it is expected to be 5.2 percent.

"The global economy is recovering. High demand for commodity will increase net export earnings, and vaccination will have positive effect” said Andrei Mikhnev, the World Bank's Country Manager for Mongolia, East Asia & Pacific.

Jean-Pascal Nganou, the World Bank's Senior Economist for Mongolia, said, “Although 60-70 percent of the population has been vaccinated against coronavirus, Mongolia is still facing certain challenges. Currently, the third wave of the pandemic has erupted. Health sector preparedness is vital. With government support, the negative impacts of the pandemic have been mitigated, but the economy is slowing, as in other countries. During the pandemic, countries such as Mongolia and Vietnam are leading the region in government support. The slowdown in economic growth is mainly due to trade, border and customs issues."

He also stressed that household income among the vulnerable group will decrease in the future.

“The government's support for households through social welfare programs has created significant costs. It is working effectively amid the pandemic, but it will have a negative impact on fiscal stability. The budget deficit is likely to increase and the debt burden will be created by quasi-fiscal activities. Inflation has risen in the first half of this year. The Bank of Mongolia is under pressure due to the balance of payments. In order to effectively fight inflation, quasi-fiscal activities need to be stopped as part of monetary policy. In addition, the weakening of monetary policy criteria for the stability of the financial sector risks increasing the burden of the pandemic. Non-performing loans will increase with the introduction of pandemic regulations.” he added.

“Therefore, it is possible to overcome the pandemic by continuing to administrate vaccination, strengthening the health care system, and improving the transportation and logistics system. It is also necessary to gradually ease the measures taken to combat the epidemic and reduce the pressure on the budget. Budget projects and programs need to be cut and transferred. In addition, the requirements and criteria for financial supervision should be set back at the appropriate level. In the medium term, it is recommended reduce over-reliance on natural resources and implement structural reforms.”

A total of 288,000 citizens were vaccinated with the third dose nationwide, reports Minister of Health S.Enkhbold on September 27.

Vaccination started in August to immunize people who suffer from chronic disease, or aged over 60 with the third dose. Then, the citizens aged over 18 was offered a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 13,000 people are receiving vaccine shots per day. As the third dose is being offered based on the survey conducted by the foreign and domestic scientists and researchers, citizens are urged to actively get vaccinated.

“The number of people diagnosed with the delta variant of the virus in Israel surged despite administrating second jabs of the COVID-19 vaccines to its citizens. However, the number of cases decreased after accelerating vaccination of the third dose in August”, highlighted the Minister.

Mongolians experienced fuel shortages last week after Rosneft began repairing its Angarsk refinery. Due to the shortage, gas stations in Mongolia have been limiting supply to the public.

China and Russia are exporting gasoline to Mongolia on an emergency basis to assist the country to cope an energy supply shortage. An oil train departing from China arrived at Mongolia through the China-Mongolia border on Monday, carrying 2,750 tons of AI-92 gasoline. It is also reported that an oil train from Russia has arrived in Altanbulag, Mongolia, carrying 1,212 tons of AI-92 gasoline. Mongolia is planning to import 51 thousand fuel from Russia and China in October.

With the arrival of the oil tankers Mongolia said it will resume the normal supply of gasoline in the country from yesterday.

Mongolia consumes 38,000 to 40,000 tons of AI-92 gasoline each month, with the landlocked nation entirely dependent on outside supply, of which more than 90 percent is sourced from Russia.

Mongolia-born Hakuho's retirement from sumo ends a career that saw him shatter just about every record in the storied Japanese sport, which gripped his imagination from childhood.

During his two decades on the dohyo -- the ring where sumo wrestlers battle -- the 36-year-old broke records for everything from number of grand tournaments won to victories in a single year.

He racked up 1,187 career wins, though one record did elude him: his 63 consecutive tournament victories are just short of the record 69 set in the 1930s.

Born Munkhbat Davaajargal, Hakuho was the son of a champion Mongolian wrestler who won his country's first Olympic medal at the 1968 Games.

The young Hakuho's father wanted his son to become a judoka, but his interests lay elsewhere.

As a youngster he devoured Japanese sumo magazines, dreaming of becoming like the powerful rikishi (sumo wrestlers) he saw in their pages.

Aged just 15, and weighing in at a paltry 62 kilogrammes, he arrived in Japan in 2000 to tread the path of his idols.

But he was turned away by most stables, known as heya. No one wanted someone "as pale and skinny as me," he recalled in his autobiography published in 2015.

Just as he was on the verge of returning to Mongolia, he managed to persuade a trainer to take him on, and in March 2001 he entered the dohyo for the first time.

His trainer gave him the name "Hakuho", the second character of which refers to a bird in Chinese mythology and was part of the name of legendary sumo wrestler Taiho, who dominated the sport in the 1960s.

Hakuho was plunged into the world of keiko, the daily morning training of sumo wrestlers. And, fortified by the traditional chanko stew of the sport, he gradually began to assume the form of a traditional wrestler.

He came to weigh in at 158 kgs, standing 1.92 metres tall, and was elevated in 2007 to sumo's top rank of yokozuna.

- Training the next generation -

For years, he had a fierce rivalry with his fellow Mongolian yokozuna Asashoryu and the pair dominated the sport for around a decade.

On September 27, the State Emergency Commission convened yesterday on September 27, and made the decision to limit the operations of food production and services by only allowing them to run their operations until 10 pm until October 20.

The decision was made based on the suggestion put forth by scholars and researchers, highlighted Secretary of the State Emergency Commission T.Bayarkhuu during the press conference.

Furthermore, the Commission also decided to have people arriving from abroad be monitored under home-based self-isolation. In effect from October 15, they will also be involved in COVID-19 tests at the airport upon arrival. Currently, those that have not vaccinated against COVID-19 are being placed at isolation facilities for 7 days, and monitored under home-based isolation for another 7 days.

Arkhangai province, Mongolia — From September 14-23, the Civil Military Support Element of the U.S. Embassy partnered with the National Emergency Management Agency of Mongolia to organize the Khangai-21 Disaster Response Exercise in Arkhangai Province. Working together with Local Emergency Management Agencies from Arkhangai, Bayankhongor, Bulgan, Khuvsgul, Uvurkhangai, and Zavkhan medical and rescue personnel from the U.S. Air Force led training exercises in confined space and high-angle rescue, along with support training in emergency medicine, crisis communications, and emergency management. In addition to the more than 180 Mongolian participants, the defense attachés of Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the Republic of Turkey attended as observers.

Due to the risk and frequency of seismic activity in Mongolia, special focus was given to earthquake response in order to help Mongolian rescue personnel better prepare to provide assistance and relief to the people of Mongolia in the event of such a disaster. Training consisted of extensive classroom and field instruction on how to extract and evacuate disaster victims safely from confined spaces and high-angle environments. At the same time, medical personnel received training on how to triage and treat patients during an emergency. Additionally, officials from emergency operations centers received classroom instruction on efficient management and resourcing of rescue and medical personnel; how to communicate effectively with the public during a crisis; and ways to work with international non-governmental organizations to provide humanitarian relief. At the end of the training, participants successfully engaged in a large-scale exercise simulating a real-world natural disaster.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the United States and Mongolia were forced to cancel the Gobi Wolf multi-national disaster response exercise held annually in Mongolia. The Khangai-21 exercise allowed U.S. and Mongolian rescue personnel to solidify their productive partnership in the interim. Lessons learned from Khangai-21 will inform planning for the much larger Gobi Wolf exercise expected to resume in 2022. Khangai-21 further enhanced the strong bonds between the United States and Mongolia while making great progress in preparing Mongolian rescuers to protect and assist the people of Mongolia in the event of a natural disaster.