Rajesh Rai | Phuentsholing

To determine the number of residual cases and decide the phase-wise lockdown relaxation in Phuentsholing, the Southern Covid-19 Task Force (SC-19TF) will conduct a four-day mass testing starting today.

One person from each household will be tested at the peri-urban, green, and yellow areas. Two persons from a household will be tested at the core areas and red zones.

The task force encourages the most mobile members of the family, those symptomatic and non-vaccinated, and those with comorbidities, to be tested.

However, individuals who have been tested within 72 hours, children below five years, individuals who have recovered from Covid-19 within one month from the day of testing, and individuals residing in the red buildings need not test.

Status

Although more cases emerged from red buildings, clusters and containment centres, health officials said the detection of Covid-19 from the community has significantly decreased. As of February 13, the average community case has reduced from 12 to five cases a day.

Most of the community cases are confined to buildings and clusters, which are immediately cordoned.

Between January 6 and 14, a total of 868 positive cases were detected. Out of this, 119 cases are primary contacts who later tested positive. There are 611 active cases in isolation. There are four isolation facilities and five de-isolation facilities.

Phuentsholing thromde is divided into three mega zones and 14 subzones as per the movement card.

Way forward

All the containment centres will be tested at the end of the mass screening.  The red buildings and clusters will be tested as per the schedule.

After the testing, sealing red houses and clusters within the thromde areas for primary contacts would continue.

All positive cases from the mass screening will be isolated in the isolation facility which has 650 beds.

If positive cases are detected from the rural and peri-urban areas, they will be isolated into the isolation facility and households or communities will be cordoned off.

“Then, phase-wise relaxation will be initiated following the mass testing depending on the results,” SC-19TF member Rixin Jamtsho said.