Jomotshangkha’s drungkhag Covid-19 task force in Samdrupjongkhar declared a complete lockdown in the drungkhag until further notice after detecting eight positive cases in the drungkhag yesterday.

Sixteen people tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday, of which eight were from Jomotshangkha—one from Phajo Goenpa in Lauri gewog, six from Jomotshangkha Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) cantonment, and one from Jomotshangkha town.

All the eight people who tested positive for Covid-19 were the primary contacts of the 60-year-old man who tested positive in Merak gewog on May 19. All 16 patients will be brought to the isolation centre in Samdrupjongkhar.

The drungkhag Covid-19 task force and health officials are still carrying out the contact tracing for the primary and secondary contacts of the people who tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday.

According to sources, a person who tested positive for Covid-19 from Phajo Goenpa might have come into contact with many people because he had travelled to Jompa in Lauri  before he tested positive.

Health officials will carry out mass testing.

Sources said that people who tested positive from RBA cantonment and Jomotshangkha town came in contact with the-60-year-old man who tested positive in Merak when they travelled to Khashateng to attend the funeral of their relative.

This is the second lockdown  in Jomotshangkha drungkhag. The first lockdown was imposed when a shopkeeper tested positive during an antigen test last year.

The Eastern Covid-19 Task Force (EC-19TF) at Dewathang in Samdrupjongkhar imposed a complete lockdown in the Khashateng chiwog in Merak gewog, Trashigang.

As per the EC-19TF’s notification, following the detection of positive cases from Tsamdro quarantine at Serkemla in Merak gewog and the travel history to Khashateng chiwog adjoining the Lauri gewog, the medical teams are executing the contact tracing and case investigation.

The notification stated the primary and secondary contacts of the positive cases detected in Khashateng chiwog were traced until Jomotshangkha. All schools and institutions will remain closed until further notice and identified shops will deliver the essential items to homes.

“The Jomotshangkha RBA colony is declared red zone with movement restriction, and the Lauri gewog control room should be active for 24 hours a week and facilitate all the essential medical services to the Khashateng chiwog,” the notification stated.

By Kelzang Wangchuk, Samdrupjongkhar

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