More than 114,000 notifiable disease cases were recorded in Bhutan last year, with acute respiratory infections (ARI) and acute watery diarrhoea accounting for more than 93 per cent of the total, according to the Annual Health Bulletin 2026. ARI was the most frequently reported condition, with around 90,000 cases, while acute watery diarrhoea accounted for more than 16,000 cases. The health ministry reported that over 6,000 diarrhoeal disease cases occurred among children below the age of 10. Health experts highlight safe drinking water, sanitation, hand hygiene, food safety and vaccination as key measures to prevent diarrhoeal illnesses, which can be caused by bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella as well as viruses including Rotavirus and Norovirus. Bhutan has made progress in improving access to basic services, with more than 95 per cent of households having basic drinking water and nearly 93 per cent having basic sanitation. However, gaps remain, including continued open defecation in some areas such as Gasa. For respiratory infections, people aged 25 to 49 recorded the highest number of cases, at around 25,000. Studies have also identified respiratory viruses such as RSV and influenza among patients with severe respiratory infections, while seasonal changes and crowded environments can influence the spread of respiratory illnesses. Despite the high number of reported infections, the bulletin noted that no cases were recorded last year for several serious vaccine-preventable diseases, including diphtheria and tetanus, highlighting progress in disease prevention and immunisation.
