WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: Members of the Expert Committee on COVID-19 management on Thursday conveyed its fresh suggestion to the High Court of Bombay at Goa to nullify the curfew plan proposed during the onset of the third COVID-19 wave in the State.
The Expert Committee meeting held on January 8 reviewed the COVID-19 positivity rate vis-à-vis hospitalisation of patients following which the fresh recommendation was made.
Dr Viraj Khandeparkar, member and associate professor of the Department of Medicine at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) informed that the progression of the disease is only marginal during the current third wave as compared to that during the second wave which was appreciable. Hence, more patients require ventilators and further progressing to death.
“During the ongoing third wave, more than 90 per cent of admissions are only on face mask wherein it delivers less amount of oxygen in a given time frame indicating that the condition is mild as compared to second wave wherein only 60-65 per cent of admissions were on face mask and other requiring HFNO, NIV which are severe forms of the disease requiring high amount of oxygen in a given time frame,” he said as the meeting details were submitted to the High Court during the hearing of a PIL on COVID-19 management in the State.
Dr Jagdish Cacodkar, Head of Department of the Department of Community Medicine at GMCH, informed that in the last one month, that is, since the third wave hit the State, the number of hot spots increased from 31 to 73 across Goa. Similarly, the positivity rate also increased in the last two weeks and three times in the last seven days.
His department anticipated a huge surge in the next two weeks in COVID-19 positive cases while expressing that the Expert Committee should frame/suggest guidelines based on the Central measures issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
At the end of the meeting, the committee members suggested to use bed occupancy of 10 per cent and 40 per cent on oxygen supported beds of Super Specialty Block and 50 per cent on oxygen supported beds of Super Specialty Block in the North Goa District Hospital (NGDH) and South Goa District Hospital (SGDH) as indicators to frame the new night curfew plan which has also been suggested by the Central ministry.
“All the members unanimously agreed to suggest that curfew plan suggested by the Expert Committee and approved by the Third State Task Force in the present context of third wave of COVID-19 may be nullified,” it said.
