Bhutan’s King Jigme Wangchuk, known as a compassionate ruler, on Friday sent gifts to 14 students who had tested positive for COVID-19 virus and wished them early recovery, The Bhutanese reported. 

On Wednesday, 14 students of Shamba Higher Secondary School in Paro had tested positive for COVID-19. Following which they were moved into a quarantine facility in the capital Thimphu. And today on Christmas Day, the students received surprised packets of cookies, biscuits, drinks, chips, and candies in form of gifts from their king. 

Bhutan is currently under nationwide lockdown as there has been a sudden surge in locally transmitted infections since last Saturday. 

After a 25-year-old woman tested positive for the virus on Saturday in capital Thimphu, the country realized the presence of locally transmitted cases. The country has reported around 38 positive cases on Friday; out of them, 29 alone came from Thimphu. 

Thimphu, being the most populous and frequently visited place by people, remains the most vulnerable to local transmission of the virus. Since, Saturday last week, most of the positive cases were reported by the capital alone. 

To contain the spread of the virus, authorities have put severe restrictions on the movement of people and vehicles in the capital.