65 people traced, 30 tests negative

Staff Reporter

Health officials in Mongar confirmed that the woman who tested positive on the rapid diagnostic test (RDT) earlier yesterday tested negative for Covid-19 when tested on the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT- PCR).

A detailed report of the woman went viral before authorities could confirm it or before the RT-PCR results were declared. The woman, Kuensel sources said, is a shopkeeper in Gyalpoizhing. She returned to Mongar from Phuentsholing on July 31 along with her three children. Her husband works as a driver in Phuentsholing and came to Mongar on July 27.

Health officials of the regional referral hospital in Mongar managed to trace 65 people who had visited Phuentsholing and Gelephu since August 1.

While the hospital’s outbreak and surveillance team is in the process of conducting the test, about 30 people who completed the test tested negative so far.

Medical Superintendent and Covid-19 medical desk coordinator, Dr Palden Wangchuk, said there were no primary contacts and all were undergoing home quarantine for 14 days starting from the date of arrival.

The contacts were traced through gewogs and primary health centers.

“This is done as part of a precautionary measure in line with the directives from the national technical advisory team,” he said.

Similarly, two people in Lhuentse, with recent travel history to Phuentsholing are also home-quarantined.

Meanwhile, more than 351 people who were stranded in Mongar were allowed to go home as of yesterday evening. Among them were civil servants who were in the dzongkhag on official duty. Some had come to attend funeral rites while some were on leave. Some were truck drivers who came to construction sites to deliver materials and some were patients being discharged from the hospital.

The dzongkhag task force team issued movement permits with validity to reach their destination while some were sent through ambulances and taxis. They were reunited with their families living in Thimphu, Paro, Samdrupjongkhar, Pemagatshel, Trashiyangtse, Lhuentse, Bumthang, Trongsa, Zhemgang and Tsirang.

There are still 56 people stranded according to the record maintained by the dzongkhag Covid-19 control room. Officials are verifying their details to let them travel to their places.