COVID-19: Amid Bhutan`s second lockdown, India hands over 20,000 RT-PCR test kits to deal with pandemic

India has handed over 20,000 COVID19 RT-PCR test kits to Bhutan.

New Delhi: Amidst nationwide lockdown in Bhutan, India has handed over 20,000 COVID19 RT-PCR test kits to the country. Kits were handed in the southern border town of Phuentsholing. Bhutan is under a 7-day lockdown as a number of covid cases have been detected in the country.

India's envoy to Bhutan Ruchira Kamboj said, "India stands alongside Bhutan. Together, we will fight the COVID-19 pandemic, through a sustainable recovery.”

Since March 2020, New Delhi has sent 9 consignments of essential medicines such as Paracetamol, Cetirizine, Hydroxychloroquine, medical Equipements like PPE kits, N95 masks, RT-PCR test kits and x-ray machines. India is also collaborating with Bhutan for conducting phase 3 clinical trials of the covid 19 vaccine candidates.

Indian mission in Bhutan in a release said, "The delivery of these RT-PCR test kits will assist Bhutan’s Ministry of Health in carrying out essential testing, given the recent enforcement of a nationwide lockdown in the country"

Bhutan is the first country in South Asia to announce a second nationwide lockdown in 2020 to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.