The strict restriction on movement imposed in the Red Zone clusters in Haa will be lifted if no new positive cases are detected tonight. The Haa COVID-19 Taskforce identified Haa town, Betso and Tsiloongkha villages of Uesu Gewog as Red Zone clusters after a student tested positive for COVID-19 a week ago.
Besides essential food delivery vehicles and DeSuups, Haa town is at a standstill. The areas were under complete lockdown after the positive case. Movement Pass distribution has also been suspended. However, the situation is likely to get better from tomorrow.
“We have been tracing and testing contacts of the student-patient for a week now. If we don’t come across new cases by tomorrow morning, it would mean the virus has not been spread in the community. So we can relax some of the restrictions,” said Kinzang Dorji, the Haa Dzongda.
Over the last week, 32 primary contacts of the student including his family members, classmates and teachers were traced and tested. No positive case was detected.
In Gongzim Ugyen Dorji Higher Secondary School where the student studies, all his classmates have been kept under isolation in separate hostels since Friday. The school has also been declared a self-containment area with no movement in and out of the school. The student who is a day scholar attended a half-day class before being confirmed a COVID-19 patient.
“We have tested all the classmates of the COVID-19 positive student and all tested negative. However, the classmates are still isolated, and it is their seventh day in isolation today. We will test them again after seven days, and if their results come negative, there is no point keeping them in isolation,” added the Dzongda.
At Betso, the student’s village and nearby Tsiloongkha village, restrictions on movement in the two villages are similar to the ones in Haa town. However, the task force may reactivate the zoning system in all the three areas by tomorrow.
Kipchu, Haa
