Tsirang district remains under lockdown after two COVID cases were detected from the community on Wednesday. The two cases, a driver at a government office and his daughter-in-law were both detected from Damphu town and have no travel history. The Tsirang COVID-19 Task Force and health officials are still trying to confirm the source of the community outbreak. But sources say the outbreak could have occurred either from a shop in Damphu town or from Rangthangling Gewog where family dinner was held.
Ten positive cases were reported yesterday. And a contact in the quarantine tested positive today, taking the total cases in the district to 18. Sources say the majority of the patients are from Rangthangling Gewog and most of them are relatives of the driver.
They had gathered for a dinner a few days ago. It is suspected that one of those who attended the dinner was already sick and could have infected the others.
Another source said the virus could have also spread from a grocery shop in Damphu town which is owned by the driver’s wife. The shop is frequented by the people of Rangthaling village which shares a border with the town. Sources said the villagers also often hire the driver’s son and his bolero to transport goods to the gewog.
Meanwhile, the lockdown in the district has been extended by four days with effect from 6:00 AM today as primary and secondary contacts of positive cases are identified in all the 12 gewogs. Contact tracing and testing are underway in all the gewogs.
Pema Tshewang, Tsirang
