As many as 150 monks have tested positive for Covid-19 at Gyuto Buddhist monastery in Himachal Pradesh. The area has now been declared as containment zone. This was revealed when 20 cases were detected.
According to Gurdarshan Gupta, the district’s Chief Medical Officer of Kangra district, 330 monks were tested and 154 were positive over the last week or so. A probe revealed it all started at the monastery (Tibetan new year) festival on February 14.
“About 15 monks came from Karnataka and Delhi. First cases were reported on February 23,” said Kangra District Collector Rakesh Prajapati.
Most of the infected monks are asymptomatic and have no travel history. They are being quarantined within the monastery compound.
“Surprisingly, all persons coming from outside have tested negative. Only one patient in the moderate category was shifted to Tanda Medical College Hospital. The rest are being managed in home isolation at the monastery,” the DC added.
Everyone above the age of 60 in the monastery shall be vaccinated,” the DC went on to say.
The Gyuto Tantric Monastery is an important institution of the Geluk school of Tibetan Buddhism. Monks from Tibet, Mongolia, Ladakh, Sikkim and Spiti are resident students of Buddhist studies at the monastery.
