Transmission of COVID-19 to locals has occurred. A fisherman and his wife from the Mangor Hill area of Vasco have tested positive, while there are four others who are suspected to have contracted the virus, as they tested postive in the TrueNat test, with the results of the confirmatory tests yet to come. As Unlock 1 begins, there could have been no worse news for the State that had managed to ward off the novel coronavirus for just over two months after the first case in Goa was reported. Till May 31, Goa had managed to stall the virus spread in the State, with only one local case – that of the brother of an infected patient – and the rest all being of persons who had travelled to the State.
The new cases change much for Goa, as such transmission could result in Goa losing the Green Zone status by virtue of which the State was in position to relax a number of the lockdown restrictions. There are two measures that are important here – contact tracing and setting up a containment zone. With the government already moving to set up a containment zone – the area was cordoned off and barricades placed as early as on Monday evening – the spread of the virus could be paused. But while a section of Mangor Hill will be cordoned off, the virus could already have spread further, which makes it imperative that simultaneously the tracing of all the people who have already been in contact with those who have tested positive is completed at the earliest with samples collected and tested as the virus spreads fast.
The larger apprehension is that Goa has opened up in the last few weeks and there has been free movement of people across the State. Until now, Goa was at the stage of imported cases, safe in the knowledge that those arriving were being tested and quarantined. The government has ruled out community transmission in the new cases and has geared up to contain the spread of the transmission. It is imperative that community transmission does not take place in the State, and ensuring this is entirely the responsibility of the authorities. This is the big test for the government, will it be able to deliver? Further, were the authorities prepared for such an eventuality?
There had been calls in the past weeks for community testing that would ensure that the virus does not spread and also to identify if there have been any asymptomatic patients who could be carriers. It was turned down by the government that has only been testing travellers and those who show symptoms. It may now wish to reconsider this decision and undertake such an exercise at least in certain zones, as the COVID-19 patients would have been in contact with others too. Until it is certain how the fisherman got the contagion, every possibility has to be looked into.
It was always clear that Goa could not remain insulated from the spread of the novel coronavirus, and this was even admitted by Health Minister Vishwajit Rane last week, who had gone on to claim that Goa would bounce back to its earlier position of reporting zero cases. It was a hope that everyone in the State had, but this was dashed on Day 1 of Unlock 1, by the two new cases of locals that came up together with the possibility of four others. Goa has to change its protocol now, as it is not just travellers entering the State who are testing positive and being sent off to quarantine, but locals who have tested positive too. The two new cases should, however, not lead to any panic, but lead instead to more precautions being taken by the government and the people.
