ULAN BATOR, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Eight new cases of measles have been confirmed in the western Mongolian province of Bayan-Ulgii, the country's Health Ministry reported on Thursday.
"Over the past 24 hours, eight cases of measles were reported in Bayan-Ulgii province," said Dagvadorj Ochirbat, the state secretary of the health ministry, during a press conference.
Mongolia declared an outbreak of the disease on Aug. 1, following the confirmation of measles in a 47-year-old Mongolian citizen who had returned from abroad. Since then, the total number of confirmed cases in the Asian country has risen to 12.
The country has been taking measures to fight the spread of measles by organizing trainings for medical staff on differential diagnosis, conducting nationwide vaccinations, and providing relevant recommendations to the public, according to the ministry.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease transmitted by respiratory droplets and direct contact. Common complications include fever, dry cough, runny nose, sore throat and inflamed eyes. The disease can be prevented by immunization.
There is no specific treatment for measles, and most people recover within two to three weeks. ■
