Thimphu: Bhutan confirmed its first coronavirus case on Friday (March 6, 2020). The patient is a 76-year-old tourist from the United States had a travel history to India.
Releasing a statement Bhutan said, ''The patient is a 76-year-old from the United States of America, who had come to Bhutan as a tourist. He had entered the country from Paro International Airport, after embarking Drukair flight KB241 from Guwahati, India on March 2.''
As per information, the US resident was touring India from February 21 to March 1 and started his travel from Washington DC on February 18, 2020.
The Prime Minister of Bhutan also confirmed the news by taking to his official Twitter handle and said, ''We would like to inform the general public that one positive case of COVID-19 was confirmed at 11 pm on March 5. The result was validated at 12.30 am today.''
Press Release
First confirmed COVID-19 case in Bhutan
We would like to inform the general public that one positive case of COVID-19 was confirmed at 11pm on March 5. The result was validated at 12.30 am today.The details are: https://t.co/zWf5Jan1f2
— PM Bhutan (@PMBhutan) March 6, 2020
The flight in which the patient was travelling had 10 passengers on board out of which eight were Indian nationals.
The patient’s health declaration form was assessed at the Paro International Airport where the results came as negative, even there was no sign of fever. Later on reaching Thimphu, the patient visited medical OPD at JDWNRH due to bloaty abdomen (dyspeptic symptoms) and nausea. However, the patient was suffering from hypertension and was under medication.
On his third day stay at Bhutan, the patient ones again visited the JDWNRH hospital and 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), informed the statement.
The patient has been isolated in the COVID-19 hospital. He is kept on oxygen support considering his age and underlying conditions.
The close contacts were his partner, the driver and the guide. In order to prevent the spread of virus, all the three close contacts along with the eight Indian passengers are have been quarantined at the designated COVID-19 hospital.
As per information, over 90 contacts have been traced so far and the Bhutan government is closely working with the Indian Embassy.
Health officials and other relevant agencies are in the process of carrying out primary disease management and contact tracing
