Bhutan Records Another Positive Case of COVID-19

Thimphu, March 26, 2020:

It has come to light that a person has been found carrying the dreaded coronavirus or COVID-19 virus in India's neighboring country, Bhutan, as the international death toll due to the disease continues to skyrocket (current deaths stand at 21,297).

Of the 25 tests performed in Thimphu and Phuentsholing yesterday, one tested positive late evening. It is an imported case, detected in someone under quarantine. Health officials have already initiated contact tracing, although most are already in quarantine facilities.

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The Heath Ministry of Bhutan will share the details at a press briefing later today.

It is pertinent to mention here that fearing a corona outbreak, Bhutan and Nepal have sealed their international borders with India, which has reported 13 deaths so far.

The Bhutanese government has said that only essential supplies such as food, medicines and fuel, would be allowed to enter the country, and returning Bhutanese citizens would be held under quarantine.

It may be recalled that on March 20, the Bhutanese Prime Minister confirmed that a tourist from the United States, Sandra (59), has tested positive for the virus in India’s neighboring country Bhutan. Sandra’s partner, a 79-year-old called Hewitt who had boarded the flight from the Washington, had tested positive earlier, and has now been extradited to the US.

“While the guide and the driver were confirmed negative, the partner, who is 59 years old, showed a positive result. This was the fourth test run on the primary contacts since the detection of first case on March 5. All earlier three tests resulted in a negative”, the Bhutanese PM said.

It is pertinent to mention here that the couple had passed through Assam during their travels of India, before heading off to neighboring Bhutan for a vacation.

Following the detection of the first case of the coronavirus, the Bhutan Government is taking extra precautions to ensure the outbreak of the deadly virus that has so far affected tens of thousands worldwide.

The patient was touring India from February 21 to March 1. He had started his travel from Washington DC on February 18 and was travelling with his partner, aged 59. There were 10 passengers on board, of which eight others were Indian nationals. At the Paro International Airport, the patient’s health declaration form was assessed. He had indicated “negative” against all conditions.

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However, upon reaching Thimphu, around 3pm, he visited the medical OPD at JDWNRH, complaining of a bloated abdomen (dyspepsia symptoms) and nausea. The patient and his partner stayed at Le Meridien on the first night. The following day, he stayed indoors most of the time and went to the hospital again around 3.30 pm for stomach upset and diarrhea.

Upon returning to Thimphu, he visited JDWNRH again. He was found to have fever, sore throat, cough and shortness of breath. He was kept under observation at the flu clinic (designated COVID-19 hospital) and samples were collected and sent to Royal Centre for Disease Control (RCDC).

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