West Bengal seals border with Bhutan to contain coronavirus outbreak

The West Bengal government has sealed the state’s border with Bhutan in the wake of novel coronavirus outbreak, a senior official said on Saturday.

The West Bengal Police, which mans the border gate on the Indian side in Jaigaon in Alipurduar district, stopped the movement of goods and travellers from India to Bhutan on Friday evening, the official said.

The move comes after Bhutan recently issued a notification to the Alipurduar district administration informing it about a halt in tourist and business activities in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, he said.

The Himalayan kingdom had earlier this month banned the entry of foreigners after an American tourist tested positive for the coronavirus.