Kelzang Wangchuk | Samdrupjongkhar

Nganglam town and its adjoining areas have been under a 72-hour blackout from 10am yesterday after a frontline worker and a resident tested positive for Covid-19.

The drungkhag reported 20 Covid-19 positive cases, out of which 10 were from the community.

The Nganglam drungkhag Covid-19 task force (DC-19TF) declared the lockdown in the town and adjoining areas like Toelung or Tshobaley in the north and Pelzomthang in the south, including Roknowang, Sokporong, Dungsam Cement Corporation Limited (DCCL), and Bhutan Power Corporation (BPC) colonies, Kangrize, Khalaktang, Drangsajab, Tshojab, Metogang, Zalashingzor and the old checkpost.




According to the task force’s announcement, a comprehensive epidemiological risk assessment and case investigation has become indispensable because of the high transmissibility of the omicron variant.

The medical team is carrying out contact tracing.

The drungkhag’s first positive case was detected from a self-containment area on January 20.

According to the announcement, government offices, institutions, shops and business entities shall remain closed. “Movement will be restricted except for the medical and security teams.”

It also stated construction activities are also not allowed. “Facility quarantine for routine travel shall continue to remain suspended and travel from the places under blackout to other parts of the country will also be suspended.”




However, it stated that people already in the quarantine shall be facilitated after completing the quarantine period.

The notification stated that DCCl and Dungsam Polymers Limited (DPL) should operate strictly in self-containment mode. “The staff cannot move outside the factories, while raw materials and finished products of DCCL and DPL shall be facilitated in bubble mode.”

The task force will facilitate travellers transiting through Nganglam.