The decision by the National Emergency Commission was announced by Enkhamgalan Byambatseren, a member of parliament, who told Mongolians "it will be wiser to stay in (South) Korea where the healthcare system is much better than Mongolia".

Mongolia has not reported any cases of the novel coronavirus but is nervous about contagion since nearly 2,600 people have died in neighbouring China and dozens more in other countries.

Travel into and out of the capital Ulaanbaatar has been banned for the Mongolian Chinese New Year, known as Tsagaan Sar, which started Sunday and ends Thursday.

The landlocked country has also closed rural highways and suspended train and bus services during the five-day holiday.

The number of cases in South Korea has soared past 800 in the past few days - the highest figure outside China - leaving eight dead.

Mongolia late last month banned Chinese nationals and foreigners entering from China by plane, train or road.