PM2.5 levels in Ulaanbaatar are 8 times higher than WHO guidelines www.news.mn
69 percent of Mongolia’s population lives in city areas and 48.9 percent of population or 1.7 million people lives in Ulaanbaatar. Also, 70 percent of registered businesses, 84 percent of trade and services, and 96 percent of universities are concentrated in Ulaanbaatar.
There are too many problems, such as air pollution, traffic jams, water supply and climate change, which relate to the urbanization. The World Health Organization /WHO/ supports and advices governments on these issues. The WHO last updated its Air Quality Recommendations in 2021. The annual average concentration of PM2.5 in the air should not exceed 5 μg/m³, as this level is considered safe for human health according to the WHO.
In Ulaanbaatar, the annual average PM2.5 level in 2020 was 41 μg/m³, which is more than eight times higher than the WHO’s recommended limit. In particular, the study found that PM 2.5 levels were 14 times higher than the standards set by the WHO between October and March.
Due to the air pollution, deaths from stroke and heart attack account for 39 percent of all deaths. From November 29 to December 5, the National Center for Communicable Diseases tested 223 samples from the Ulaanbaatar city surveillance unit and other locations for SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2 viruses. Of the total samples, 4.9 percent were found to be SARS-CoV-2, 21.5 percent were found to be SARS-CoV-2, and 5.3 percent were found to be A(H1N1)pdm09.
Published Date:2024-12-11