… cases were from Rabdeyling, Jampeling zone, and RBA colony in Gelephu

Nima | Gelephu

Gelephu reported 15 new Covid-19 cases from the community yesterday, taking the total count of the active community cases to 20 in the past two days.

The new community cases were from the batch of 155 samples tested on Monday. Of that, 12 cases were detected from Royal Bhutan Army colony near the State guesthouse where the first five community cases were reported in Gelephu on January 16.

Three community cases were detected from Jampeling and Rabdeyling zone out of 15 new community cases reported yesterday, according to the officials from the task force.

The contact tracing and testing team collected 1,419 samples to date.




Eight different surveillance teams are deployed in all demkhongs under Gelephu thromde and also in nearby buffer areas located in Gelephu and Samtenling gewogs.

With Gelephu reporting increased cases from the community, there were calls from the people residing in the town for Covid-19 tests, and to share places that reported community cases on social media.

Of the total community case reported to date, 17 are male and three are female.

Officials from the task force said the contact tracing and testing would be continued and the cases reported to date are in stable conditions.

Gelephu remained unhurt in the past two years until it started to report increasing imported cases from foreign workers since January 3 and community cases from January 16.

There are a total of 69 active cases, including imported and community cases in Gelephu. Of the total cases reported to date, 41 are from foreign workers and 28 Bhutanese. Three are frontline workers and five returnees from the total case.




Meanwhile, the black period coincided with the peak orange export season in Gelephu and the task force facilitated 40 trucks of orange export to Bangladesh on Monday and Tuesday.  

The movement of vehicles from within and outside the dzongkhag; from source till orange depots in Gelephu was escorted.

Import of animal feeds was also facilitated yesterday.

Home delivery of essential items began yesterday and designated shops in the gewogs and Umling area were opened after shopkeepers Covid-19 antigen tests for the shopkeepers.

Permits for essential service providers were also issued.

Stranded travellers to Panbang and Nganglam were also facilitated. More than 100 routine travellers completing mandatory quarantine were released from the quarantine facility.

Health officials said it was difficult to know the source of the infection yet.