There has been a surge in COVID positive cases in Goa, after the arrival of passenger son trains and the movement of goods and other vehicles. The number of COVID patients in the ESI hospital in Margao, which till ten days ago had empty beds with the first seven patients having recovered, now has 35 such patients, close to 50 % of the capacity of 100 beds reserved for CODI patients. This figure was mentioned by the Chief Minister, at about 7 pm on Monday though Herald has learned that this figure is likely to be slightly higher as more tests are awaiting confirming. The spike in cases was mainly due to the many passengers on a train from Mumbai to Goa who have tested positive, sending alarming signals and shock waves throughout the state. Meanwhile, there will another major influx of 441 stranded Goans arriving on 3 separate flights from Italy next Saturday. Meanwhile, questions are being asked as to why they were not tested before their departure from Mumbai. While the Chief Minister belatedly wrote to the center to call of the Goa halt for the Rajdhani Express from Delhi to Thiruvanthapuram, as passengers were testing positive, the Nizamuddin Express running on the same route will continue to stop in a logic-defying decision. As reported the Nizamuddin train will continue to stop in Goa, apparently, because fewer passengers get off here. The Chief Minister informed that of the 35 active cases, 33 are from Maharashtra and 2 from Karnataka. 31 of them are Goans. More than 400 people are in hotel quarantine while 150 persons are in institutional quarantine at present. Responding to instances of those being tested objecting or refusing to pay Rs 2000 for the test, Chief Minister Sawant said that the amount includes the cost of hotel accommodation and food for three days. The Chief Minister also said that interstate buses to Karnataka and Maharashtra will not be started.
