Samtse District COVID-19 Task Force starts a week-long zoning system in Samtse and Norboogang Gewogs today. This is a part of the phase-wise relaxations. The two gewogs along with Tashichhoeling Gewog went under 72-hours of complete lockdown on Tuesday after detecting 15 community cases on Sunday.
With the activation of a seven-day zoning system, an individual from each household can move with a movement card within their respective zones. Despite the relaxation, not many people were seen in Samtse town today.
And in Norboogang Gewog, despite the notification, the Gewog Task Force plans to initiate the zoning system in Chengmari town only from tomorrow. Mass testing was conducted in the town yesterday and is currently waiting for the results.
The District Task Force in its earlier notification said that the week-long zoning system was activated considering the emergence of continuous COVID-19 positive cases from the community. They added this is also expected to help the team in further assessing and containing the virus spread in the district.
Meanwhile, the lockdown in Tashichhoeling Gewog will continue although the 72-hour lockdown ended today. The Gewog Task Force clarified that they are yet to receive the test results of over 200 individuals.
Likewise, an individual from the gewog also tested positive for the virus yesterday. He had his primary contacts at Tendruk and Norgaygang Gewogs.
While the phase-wise relaxation began in Samtse and Norboogang Gewogs, Ugyentse Gewog and Gomtu and Pugli villages are awaiting their final phase of relaxation.
Tading Gewog will continue to remain under lockdown for now.
Since the detection of the first COVID case from the community on January 18, Samtse has recorded more than 400 cases so far.
Passang Dorji, Samtse
