The debate on local transmission and community transmission has taken precedence over the fact that the number of cases of COVID-19 in the State are on the rise. When the government insists that there is no community transmission and it is only local transmission, then going by the strict definitions of this, they would be right. The first stage is imported cases which Goa has already had, the second stage is local transmission, when the virus is contracted by local persons who have come in contact with persons with a travel history. This is what Goa is seeing at the curren time. The third stage of community transmission is when the virus transmission cannot to traced to any one paticular person. But rather than go into that debate at the moment, what is important is containing the spread to avoid Goa breaching the stage two and going to state three.
Goa saw a massive rise in the number of COVID-19 cases since mid-May after the borders were opened and trains began to arrive and disgore passengers in the State. The numbers rose further when a fisherman’s family in Mangor Hill was found to be positive for the virus. This led to local transmission in the area, and the numbers have risen to over a hundred in that area alone. Besides, health workers who had been on awareness drives on malaria and dengue in that area have also tested positive. The other cases adding to the total are of travellers to the State. Mangor Hill has been declared a containment zone, and nobody is allowed to enter or leave the area. This may help curb the spread of the virus, but what remains a cause of concern is that people entering Goa are able to skip the mandatory screening and tests.
From Monday June 8, the relaxations in curbs increase dramatically, allowing more economic activity. Restaurants will be throwing open their shutters to the people. It is expected that in a few days from now, the government will also allow hotels to begin business. The tourism industry in Goa is awaiting the clearance to start so that it can recover the losses of the past few months. At the same time, the guidelines from the Centre allow the opening of places of religious worship, but here religious institutions are turning to be very circumspect. Not many churches and temples are willing to open their doors to congregations, and the Association of All Goa Muslim Jamats has issued an advisory stating that the reopening of Masjids has been delayed till June 30. The Archdiocese has also announced that churches will not open on Monday, and the date will be announced later. Those few that may open will be allowed to have only visits and that too with social distancing.
The decision of the religious institutions to delay reopening for large congregations is commendable. For, in the midst of the pandemic, the authorities are going to have to brace up for a surge in ailments that always surface along with the monsoon. The common flu is one of them, and so are malaria and dengue in particular, and these can be transmitted in crowded spots. Goa, with pre-monsoon preparation work not altogether completed due to the lockdown, could see a sudden rise in vector-borne diseases. Dengue in particular had affected the port town of Vasco last year, and Mangor Hill that is the focal point of COVID-19 in the State, forms part of the Mormugao Municipal Council. The government has to ramp up the hospital bed facility and also ensure that a certain amount is left free for patients of vector-borne diseases. The weeks ahead are not going to be easy, the decision to keep the places of religious worship closed could actually help.
