ULAN BATOR, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- The southeastern Mongolian province of Dornogovi has been placed under quarantine for an undetermined period due to an outbreak of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP), as reported by the country's General Authority for Veterinary Services on Thursday.
The severe disease, which affects goats, is caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae.
Approximately 15,000 goats in Khatanbulag and Khuvsgul soums (administrative subdivisions) of the province are estimated to be infected. The authority stated that measures are being implemented to contain the disease, cull the infected goats, and disinfect the affected areas.
Notably, CCPP has not been reported in Mongolia since the 1950s, marking a 70-year absence, according to the authority's statement.
This highly contagious disease spreads among animals in close contact through infected respiratory droplets. Symptoms in goats include anorexia, fever, and respiratory issues such as dyspnea, polypnea, coughing, and nasal discharge.
Mongolia is one of the world's last surviving nomadic countries, where livestock husbandry plays a crucial role in diversifying the landlocked nation's mining-dependent economy. As of the end of 2023, the country had 64.7 million livestock, with goats comprising 38.1 percent of the total, according to the National Statistics Office. ■