Team Herald
PANJIM: Three police personnel and a private medical practitioner are amongst 27 persons who tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. With 11 more recoveries, the number of active cases stands at 560.
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A fresh case was also reported in Porvorim, wherein a senior citizen tested positive for coronavirus. As on Wednesday, the State has 656 confirmed cases, of which 560 are active while 96 have recovered.
Addressing media persons, Health Secretary Nila Mohanan said three police personnel, two attached to Mormugao Police Station and one with Vasco Police Station, have tested positive for the infection. “Also a private medical practitioner in Curtorim tested positive,” she said.
Mohanan said that extensive contact tracing of the police and the doctor has begun. “We have collected swab samples of the family members of police personnel and placed them under home quarantine,” she said.
Asked whether the case of the doctor can lead to major spread of the virus considering that he was treating over 50 patients daily, she refused to say anything stating that contact tracing is on.
Mohanan said that the South Goa Collector has notified a certain area of Baina as a micro-containment zone and buffer zone. “The entire area is not notified but only three buildings, which reported the cases,” she said.
Further, the Secretary said that police are still unable to trace the missing COVID patient, who had escaped, last week, after his report was confirmed positive for the infection.
She said that the isolated cases reported in Margao, Betim, Raia, Porvorim, Quepem are not linked to Mangor Hill. “However, people need not panic but be alert and vigilant,” she said. Mohanan urged people to follow the health safety protocol like using sanitisers, wearing a mask.
Mohanan said the government has so far notified four COVID care centers for asymptomatic patients – public health center Shiroda, Colva Residency, Calangute Residency and MPT hospital Sada. She said that the stadiums – Navelim, Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and Pernem – are yet to be notified as care centers.
As per the Health Bulletin issued by Directorate of Health Services, of 1,949 samples tested, reports of 569 people are awaited.
At present there are 21 patients in the isolation wards, including 15 on Wednesday, while 362 international passengers and 259 domestic passengers are under home quarantine and 289 travellers are placed under institutional quarantine.
