Kelzang Wangchuk | Samdrupjongkhar

The Jomotshangkha drungkhag Covid-19 task force declared a 72-hour blackout in Jomotshangkha town, including Langchenphu and Serthi gewogs, from 3pm yesterday.

According to the drungkhag Covid-19 task force’s notification, this is to conduct an epidemiological risk assessment and case investigations, as many of the 21-year-old man’s primary contacts tested Covid-19 positive.

The task force said that most of the primary contacts had substantial interaction with people of Langchenphu and Serthi gewogs.

The 21-year-old man visited the flu clinic with flu-like symptoms and tested positive during an antigen test on February 7 and an RT-PCR confirmed it the next day. He was immediately isolated, and the primary contacts were sent to the facility quarantine.




The medical team traced and sent about 86 samples for the RT-PCR test on February 8, including the 21-year-old man’s 19 primary contacts, of which 22 contacts tested positive in Jomotshangkha yesterday. They were sent to an isolation centre, and the remaining 66 to the facility quarantine.

The medical teams are still tracing contacts and collecting samples.

As per the notification, all offices and businesses will remain closed, and movement is restricted except for the health and security surveillance teams.

The notification stated residents should be permitted to do all household chores including feeding animals, and other activities within their premises. “However, they are not allowed to visit the neighbours.”




Essential movements will be facilitated after completing the 72-hour blackout period while the mobile health team will facilitate emergency medical services, the notification stated.

Meanwhile, Samdrujongkhar reported 36 positive yesterday, out of which 14 were in Samdrupjongkhar town, including six from its community.