Rajesh Rai | Phuentsholing

581 individuals from eight clusters of the red zones in Phuentsholing tested negative for Covid-19 yesterday. The clusters will now remain under surveillance for a week.

Health minister Dechen Wangmo announced this at the meet the press session yesterday in Thimphu.

The residents completed their second lockdown of 21 days yesterday.

Lyonpo said that Project DANTAK camp residents will be tested after two weeks. With Project DANTAK premise, there are nine clusters identified as Red Zone in Phuentsholing.

Meanwhile, people from these eight clusters did not know if their lockdown was slightly relaxed since yesterday.

They were also unsure what was for them in-store after the one-week surveillance was over.

One of the residents, Sangay from NHDCL colony, one of the eight clusters, said that people followed the lockdown rule as usual and didn’t come out in the open yesterday.

“It is the 46th day for us here,” he said. “People are finally happy about testing negative.”

Sharing his lockdown experience, Sangay said considering the close proximity with Project DANTAK, the second phase of 21-day lockdown was “very strict” compared to the first one.

“For about one week, there were difficulties to get essentials,” he said, adding that the delivery eventually improved.

Sangay said staying inside the house could be a depressing experience. “If the lockdown continued for two months, people will go through many social and psychological problems.” 

Another resident, Sonam Tshering also remained indoors. He didn’t know about lockdown relaxation.

“I don’t have movement card,” he said, adding that nobody has disseminated information of the relaxation.

“But we are under surveillance for another week.”