National News
India-EU summit postponed Confirmed cases of COVID-19 rise to 30 after Ghaziabad man tests positive
Bhutan reports first coronavirus case as US tourist tests positive
Bhutan reports first coronavirus case as US tourist tests positive
The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has reported its first case of the coronavirus after a US tourist tested positive, the Prime Minister Lotay Tshering said on Friday.The tiny, land-locked country, famous for measuring Gross National Happiness has emerged as a popular tourist destination in recent years. But the government immediately shut borders to foreign visitors for two weeks in an effort to limit the impact of a disease that has wreaked havoc in more developed countries around the world.
The 76-year-old man arrived in Bhutan from India on 2 March and was admitted to hospital on 5 March with a fever, where he tested positive for COVID-19, the prime minister’s office said in a Facebook post
Sikkim bans entry of foreigners, suspends permit to Nathu La as precaution against COVID-19To prevent the spread of COVID-19,
Sikkim has decided to ban entry of foreigners to insulate itself from the novel coronavirus, The Times of India reported. The preventive measure has led to wide-spread fears among travel and tour operators and hoteliers in Darjeeling that bookings would be canceled.A blanket ban has also been issued for permits to visit the Nathu La pass that borders China.
“Darjeeling and Sikkim are inter-linked tourist destinations.
Overseas tourists usually spend four-and-a-half days in Sikkim and two-and-a-half days in Darjeeling. Now that they will not be able to travel to Sikkim, they are most likely to cancel the Darjeeling leg of their visits and go elsewhere for week-long holidays,” said Amit Periwal, the proprietor of Clubside Tours & Travel, was quoted as saying.