Phurpa Lhamo | Punakha

As part of the nationwide mass testing, health officials in Punakha and Wangdue tested more than 1200 individuals for Covid-19 in the last two days.

In Punakha, by January 12, 667 individuals from across the dzongkhag were tested. Antigen testing was also conducted yesterday.

The tests are conducted with directives from the health ministry’s Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to implement further relaxation in the dzongkhags.

Punakha Dzongdag Karma Drukpa said that 150 samples each from Toebisa gewog, Guma gewog, Khuruthang and Lobesa towns were collected.

He added that 63 individuals from Phenteykha village, identified as yellow zone, were also tested earlier. They all tested negative.

On December 21, two individuals—parents of the index case—from Phenteykha village tested positive. It was learned that a primary contact of the index case had visited the village for an annual village rimdro.

Meanwhile, in Wangdue, 600 individuals were tested through random sampling. On January 12, 450 people from Phobjikha, Bajo town and extended areas were tested for the Covid-19. The samples collected from Phobjikha, Bajo and the extended town have tested negative.

Yesterday, samples from self-contained zones of Punatsangchhu Hydroelectric Project I and II were collected.

Radom samples from Pelela, yellow zone in Wangdue, were also collected for testing. The testing was conducted in the flu clinic in Phobjikha.

Meanwhile, Wangdue dzongkhag has notified the public that the first phase of unlocking, which was implemented on January 5 would be extended until January 15 in view of on-going mass testing.