Dharamshala: Once the least COVID-19 affected country in the world, India is now the fifth-worst coronavirus hit country surpassing Spain with around 244,000 cases.
The Central Tibetan Administration has made every effort to curb the coronavirus situation within the exile Tibetan community. After the lockdown was lifted and people started travelling in droves across India, Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay and Health Kalon Choekyong Wangchuk repeatedly appealed the Tibetan public to limit unnecessary travel, especially through red zones.
The few positive cases that have recently surfaced in the Tibetan community were all found to have travel history to red zones, mainly Delhi.
As per confirmation from the CTA COVID-19 task force, there has been a total of 10 cases in the Tibetan community in India of which 4 have completely recovered; 5 active cases and 1 death.
A 63-year-old woman from Dalhousie, a 47-year-old man from Dalhousie, a 12-year-old student from Tuting and two Tibetans from Delhi including a 65-year-old woman and 43-year-old man have reportedly tested positive with COVID-19, all of whom have travel history to Delhi.
A 62-year-old man from Delhi who tested positive has passed away last week. The four recovered are a family and a nurse from Delhi.
CTA task force led by Health Kalon in coordination with the settlement offices and its branch hospitals has put in place containment strategy and isolated those who had contacts.
Meanwhile, Health Kalon has urged public cooperation to check community transmission in its initial stage.
“Everyone has a part to play in our efforts to beat this pandemic. We must collectively work together. The large scale initiative taken up by the CTA as well as the Indian government would be ineffective if individuals do not take the necessary precautions as guided. So I implore all to follow efficiently the guidelines issued by the CTA, State and Central government,” Kalon said.
At this stage, he said, the most effective way to slow down and stop the community transmission is by observing self-isolation, self-monitoring and early reporting in case of COVID-19 suggestive symptoms.
Kalon added that the Health Department that has been conducting door-to-door routine screening and is presently conducting passive screening in light of the escalating risk of transmission.
With the rising number of returnees from various parts of India to Tibetan settlements and cluster communities, the CTA and its task force has ramped up responses to prevent further transmission but urges every Tibetan to exercise utmost caution, restrict unessential travelling and to be on their guard against COVID-19 at all times.
