ULAANBATAR, Jan 31 — Mongolia said today it will ban Chinese nationals and foreigners coming from China by plane, train or road to prevent the spread of a deadly virus.

The ban will be enforced from tomorrow until March 2, according to a government statement, which also said Mongolians will be prohibited from travelling to China for the same period of time.

Mongolians currently in China can return by normal routes until February 6.

After that they will be allowed to journey home through train or plane at only two points: the Zamiin Uud rail border and the airport in the capital city Ulaanbaatar.

There have been no confirmed cases of the virus in Mongolia.

Mongolia had already closed its border crossings with China to cars, temporarily shut schools and suspended public events to prevent the deadly virus which has rapidly spread across China and infected thousands.

The huge, landlocked country is the latest nation to place restrictions on Chinese travellers after the World Health Organisation declared the new coronavirus an international emergency.

Singapore announced today a sweeping ban on arrivals from mainland China as authorities toughened measures to prevent virus’s spread.

The move was a dramatic expansion of earlier measures that affected only arrivals from central Hubei province. — AFP