COVID-19 pandemic in Bhutan

COVID-19 pandemic in Bhutan
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationBhutan
First outbreakWuhan, Hubei, China
Index caseParo
Arrival date6 March 2020
(4 years, 8 months and 4 days)
Confirmed cases62,697[1]
Deaths
21[1]
Vaccinations
  • 699,116[1] (total vaccinated)
  • 677,669[1] (fully vaccinated)
  • 2,011,426[1] (doses administered)
Government website
https://www.gov.bt/covid19/

The COVID-19 pandemic in Bhutan was a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

The virus was confirmed to have reached Bhutan on 6 March 2020, when a 76-year-old American tourist who had travelled from India tested positive for COVID-19.[2]

The King of Bhutan addressed the nation on 22 March 2020, telling citizens "As a small country with a small population, we can overcome any challenge we are faced with, if the people and the government work together."[3]

The country subsequently implemented strict containment measures, and was able to largely stamp out the outbreak.[4] Bhutan currently has the lowest case fatality rate for COVID-19 at 0.05%, which is significantly lower than the WHO's global case fatality rate of 4.34%, and lower than SARS of 2003.[5][6] However, the transmission has been significantly greater.[5][7]

  1. ^ a b c d e Mathieu, Edouard; Ritchie, Hannah; Rodés-Guirao, Lucas; Appel, Cameron; Giattino, Charlie; Hasell, Joe; Macdonald, Bobbie; Dattani, Saloni; Beltekian, Diana; Ortiz-Ospina, Esteban; Roser, Max (2020–2024). "Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19)". Our World in Data. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Together we can defeat COVID-19". Royal Government of Bhutan. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  4. ^ Drexler, Madeline. "The Unlikeliest Pandemic Success Story". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on 13 February 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Crunching the numbers for coronavirus". Imperial News. 13 March 2020. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  6. ^ "High consequence infectious diseases (HCID); Guidance and information about high consequence infectious diseases and their management in England". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  7. ^ "World Federation Of Societies of Anaesthesiologists – Coronavirus". www.wfsahq.org. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.