Authorities in Bhutan have detected 12 fresh infections of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, prompting the administration to put Paro district under lockdown, reported The Bhutanese.

Among the fresh infections, seven are from the capital Thimphu, three from the Paro district, and one each from Lhamoidzingkha and Phuentsholing. Soon after the discovery of three cases in Paro, the district administration announced lockdown with immediate effect.

The sudden surge in COVID-19 infections started after a 25-year-old female found infected on Saturday. The lady didn’t have any recent travel history, indicating a presence of local transmission in the country. The government launched a robust contact tracing and testing exercise soon after that. Around 1700 were tested as the result of contact tracing; Out of them, 21 tested positive.

Thousands of people must have traveled from the capital Thimphu to other regions, the health ministry said on Monday, indicating a possibility of the spread of the virus in other regions too.

The government has now banned inter-district travel but permitted vehicles carrying essential goods and fuel.