ULAANBAATAR (UCAN) -- Maral decided to play it safe and did not allow his 8-year-old son to attend Mass on May 11, Pentecost Sunday, although it would have been a big event for the altar boy.

"I phoned the parish priest early in the morning and told him the government requested parents not to allow young children out of the house because of the infectious disease that has been spreading in Mongolia," said Maral, who goes by one name, as is common in Mongolia.

The parish priest was very understanding and said, "We have to obey the government and take the advice of the doctors," Maral told UCA News.

Many other children also stayed away from Mass at St. Mary's Parish in Ulaanbaatar, a scenario that was repeated elsewhere. Sources from Catholic and Protestant communities around the capital told UCA News that Pentecost services had many fewer children than usual, and no babies.

The Mongolian government announced precautions twice in the past week after four cases of enterovirus 71, or EV-71, were reported.

On May 8 it issued a directive for children to stay indoors. By the afternoon of May 11, however, the number of reported cases reached 180, with 70 of these detected that afternoon.

The following day, the government closed all kindergartens and directed that children below the sixth grade or under the age of 13 not attend school. State- and Church-run elementary schools and kindergartens remain closed until further notice.

The EV-71 virus, a major cause of hand, foot and mouth disease, also has the potential to cause paralysis, brain swelling and sometimes death. It typically produces tiny blisters on the inside of the mouth and on the palms, fingers and soles. Young children are the most susceptible, especially through group exposure as in child-care centers or schools. Most cases occur in the summer and early fall.

In neighboring China, the official Xinhua News Agency reported on May 12 that the virus had killed 39 children and afflicted another 24,934 across the country since late March.

St. Paul de Chartres Sister Michel Park, principal of St. Paul Elementary School in Ulaanbaatar, told UCA News on May 11 that they heard about the virus and the possibility of having to close the school while watching television on May 9. "We will be there to receive the children in case their parents have not heard about the decision of the government," she added.

Missionaries of Charity Sister Sudhir said her nuns also will receive children who come to their convent in Yaarmag, where they run a small Montessori program and day-care center for poor children.

"I am sure there may be children whose parents will bring them to us even though the schools are closed from Monday (May 12). Many of those children do not have anything to eat at home, so they would rather come and at least eat something," Sister Sudhir told UCA News.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister Lucille Munchi, principal of the Verbiest Street Children Care Center in Ulaanbaatar, said young children living there are not permitted to leave the center, since the government has advised parents and guardians to keep children indoors.

Meanwhile, Catholics have changed their way of praying the Our Father and making the sign of peace during Mass, as they did during the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) outbreak in 2003. Instead of holding hands during the prayer and shaking hands to offer a sign of peace, Massgoers are asked to pray with upturned hands and bow to neighbors to avoid unnecessary contact.

As for the Saturday Children's Mass at St. Mary's, Father Stephen Kim, the parish priest, told UCA News he is aware that only a few older children might come. "Nevertheless, the prayer will not stop. This is one of the best ways to fight against illness, with ongoing prayer. But we will be very cautious," he said.

Bishop Wenceslao Padilla, apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar, told UCA News the schools, kindergartens and other institutions that belong to the prefecture will follow all government regulations. "I am in touch with all our entities, and we will close down all activities for children under the age of 13," he said. "As there is officially a state of extraordinary emergency, we have to follow the TV announcements and act upon them."

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