Tshering Namgyal | Mongar

Five men who recently returned from Jomotshangkha drungkhag in Samdrupjongkhar are facility quarantined in Mongar.

The men from Yagpogang, Tsakaling, Kengkhar, Phosorong and Mongar town were quarantined on May 2 in Druk Zhongar hotel. 

Jomotshangkha bordering Assam, India has been under lockdown for a week since last Friday after a suspected case tested negative. 

They were seven in the group, walked from Minjewoong in aSerthi gewog via Merak in Trashigang as the borders was sealed. Six of them were working at the construction site in Serthi gewog. They returned on April 24 when their work had stalled after India went into lockdown.

It took them three nights to Mongar.

According to one of them, Sonam Jamtsho, they spent their first night in Lauri gewog guesthouse, the second night at the base of Serkemla, highest peak of Merak. On the third day, they hired vehicles to Trashigang where they stayed in a hotel.

The group dispersed from Trashigang the next day. One went home in Thrimshing, another went to his village in Bangtar, Samdrujongkhar. The five men came to Mongar and stayed at home until they moved to quarantine. 

He said that the two other friends remain under home quarantine. 

According to the officials with Mongar regional referral hospital’s quarantine team, how long they would remain in quarantine is not specified as of now. They would be quarantined until further notice or order.