The Bhutanese Leading the way.
With a large outbreak in Thimphu and Paro it is increasingly becoming clearer by the day that coordination issues and complacency on the ground contributed to the virus spreading in the two Dzongkhags. These twin qualities have long vexed the Bhutanese bureaucracy and system, and this time it reared its …
Read More »How complacency and lax protocols led to the nation’s second COVID-19 outbreak
A big question mark with the massive second COVID-19 outbreak in Thimphu and Paro is on its source and how it spread, despite the various precautions taken. An infectious flight and a driver It all started with a 27th November flight from Kolkata carrying 52 passengers and 6 crew with …
Read More »Bhutan goes for a stricter definition than WHO for its first COVID-19 death
If the Ministry of Health went by the World Health Organization (WHO) definition of a COVID-19 death, then Bhutan would still be having zero COVID-19 deaths. However, the Health Minister Dasho Dechen Wangmo said that the MoH decided to go with the Center for Diseases Control (CDC) USA and the …
Read More »Bhutan requests India for 1 mn doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines to vaccinate entire Bhutanese population
GoI has assured support Bhutan has requested India for help in procuring 1 mn doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine or Covishield that is being manufactured in the Serum Institute of India (SII) to vaccinate the whole Bhutanese population. The Foreign Minister Dr Tandi Dorji said that the Government of India …
Read More »Lesser impact on GDP due to better designed second national lockdown: FM
One of the big questions of the second national lockdown is its impact on the economy, revenue collections, budget and the economy in general. The Prime Minister Dasho (Dr) Lotay Tshering said that a formal economic impact assessment is not simple as the numbers will have to be fed in …
Read More »Bhutan completes its largest ever international rescue of more than 160 women from Iraq
The last three Bhutanese girls in Iraq will be coming to Bhutan on 4th January. This will complete the biggest and most audacious rescue of Bhutanese citizens in distress in a foreign land. The problem first cropped up from 2019 and even before when there were petitions, news and requests …
Read More »MoH’s reduction of 4 categories of COVID-19 cases into 2 and its implications
When the COVID-19 outbreak first happened the regular Ministry of Health morning updates and the evening press conferences of the Health Minister came up with four categories of data, each with its own implication and meaning. These were firstly the Close Contact cases who were the close contacts of cases …
Read More »Bhutan’s vaccine strategy focuses on COVAX facility, Indian manufacturing and international procurement
With a large number of Community Transmission cases in Thimphu and Paro and cases also found in Punakha, Wangdue, Bumthang, Dagana, Haa, Trongsa there is now an even greater urgency to get the vaccine. Health Minister says Bhutan going for any vaccine available Health Minister Dasho Dechen Wangmo said that …
Read More »We are dealing with a more infectious outbreak this time: PM
High percentage of high risk close contacts are testing positive unlike the Phuentsholing outbreak Says source of outbreak could either be from those coming from the south or from those coming via air to Thimphu 72,000 people had left from Thimphu between 7th and 20th December to all 20 Dzongkhags …
Read More »His Majesty has commanded that National Lockdown should be of minimum inconvenience to the people: Lyonchhen
The Prime Minister in two addresses to the nation Highlighted the concerns and commands of His Majesty The King over the COVID-19 outbreak and also the National Lockdown. On the first day of the lockdown on 20th December the Prime Minister Dasho (Dr) Lotay Tshering said, “His Majesty is always …
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