ULAN BATOR, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Mongolian State Professional Inspection Agency said Saturday that its inspectors in the central province of Uvurkhangai seized 22 dead marmots which might spread the deadly bubonic plague.
The dead marmots were seized from a man on Friday in Arvaikheer, the capital of the province, the agency said, noting that the marmots had been transferred to the National Center for Zoonotic Diseases (NCZD) for bubonic plague testing.
Most of Mongolia's 21 provinces are at risk of bubonic plague, said the NCZD.
Although hunting marmots is illegal in Mongolia, many people regard the rodent as a delicacy and ignore the law.
The bubonic plague is a bacterial disease that can be spread by fleas living on wild rodents like marmots. The disease can kill an adult in less than 24 hours if not treated in time, according to the World Health Organization. Enditem
