Phentoedkha under Toedpaisa Gewog in Punakha is identified as a red zone cluster after the parents of the 25-year-old female patient in Thimphu tested positive for the virus, yesterday. The couple is now at the isolation facility in Thimphu. They are the primary contacts of the woman who tested positive recently.
The village, located below Thimphu-Punakha highway at Lumitsawa with 16 households is now under strict surveillance. Residents must get official permission from the concerned authority in order to go in or out.
According to sources, the 71-year-old woman had come to Thimphu to reach her daughter and stayed at their uncle’s place at Chubachhu for two weeks. The uncle, who travelled to Trongsa later, also tested positive. However, the 76-year-old husband doesn’t have a travel history.
Till yesterday, about 47 primary contacts of the couple were traced. Swab samples of the primary contacts have been sent to Thimphu for testing.
Sources said about 50 people have come in contact with the couple during a local ritual at their village. According to Gup Namgay Tenzin, they have tested around 50 people who have been to the ritual so far. ”We are also conducting tests for children who have come in contact with the couple,” he said.
And seven primary contacts have been quarantined for further observation while the rest are home-quarantined.
Meanwhile, Chubachhu in Thimphu is also demarcated as a red zone cluster following the detection of 19 positive cases in the last two days.
Changa Dorji
