COVID-19 pandemic in Bhutan
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).
| COVID-19 pandemic in Bhutan | |
|---|---|
| Disease | COVID-19 |
| Virus strain | SARS-CoV-2 |
| Location | Bhutan |
| First outbreak | Wuhan, Hubei, China |
| Index case | Paro |
| Arrival date | 6 March 2020 (4 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days) |
| Confirmed cases | 62,697 |
Deaths | 21 |
| Vaccinations |
|
| Government website | |
| https://www.gov.bt/covid19/ | |
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.
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."
The country subsequently implemented strict containment measures, and was able to largely stamp out the outbreak. 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. However, the transmission has been significantly greater.