For the first time since December 20 when the country reported the second wave, Bhutan saw no new positive case of COVID-19 infection on Sunday, said Bhutan’s Ministry of Health. The total number of active cases remains 267 while 574 recovered so far.

Phuentsholing, a Bhutanese town on the India-Bhutan border, has no active cases now. The town is one of the most frequently used crossing points between India and Bhutan. The last COVID-19 positive case was discharged on January 13, and no new infection reported since then, reported Kuensel.

The town, frequented by migrant Indian laborers, was put on the high-risk district by the Bhutanese government.    

Meanwhile, the National COVID-19 Taskforce also started easing restrictions in Paro and Thimphu districts. The two towns had reported most cases of community transmitted infections.

The task force took the decision based on the findings of mass testing and no new reported case from the community. 

However, health authorities tweaked their earlier regulations for easing restrictions. The earlier practice allowed unceasing only when there was no fresh case of the infection in the last 24 hours. 

Authorities argued since all the new reported cases were just the primary contacts it means there was no community transmission. 

On December 20 last year, Bhutan detected the second wave of community transmitted COVID-19 infections. Following which the government had announced 21 days’ second national lockdown.