Team Herald
PANJIM: Two locals, a man and a woman, have been placed in quarantine at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) for suspected coronavirus. Both have travelled to affected countries, and have been declared as stable, while their blood sample reports are awaited. On Wednesday 33 people were quarantined at home.
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Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said that a 27-year-old man from Vasco and a 23-year-old woman from Sanquelim have been quarantined at GMC, as they are suffering from cough and fever since their return to Goa, from the foreign countries.
Rane said that the man, who was working on the ship since June 2019, had come in contact with a COVID-19 patient in mid-February, while he was travelling. “He had gone to Italy in February, where he came in contact with the affected person,” Rane said, adding that the person had returned to Goa, two days ago.
The man had travelled to Europe, Finland, Italy in February 2020, he said. The Minister said that the patient had not touched the shore as he continued working only on the ship. He had returned to Goa by a Qatar Airways flight.
Rane said that the woman, who hails from Sanquelim, was in Dubai since November 30, 2019 and left the country on March 8. “On her return, she is suffering from cough and fever,” he said. She had arrived in Goa by an Air India flight
Rane said that both the persons were admitted in the isolation ward on Wednesday and are currently stable. “The blood samples have been sent to the Pune laboratory. The reports are awaited,” he said.
While India has reported nearly 62 positive cases of COVID-19, Goa has no such case. The State had over 10 suspected patients, all who were tested negative.
Nearly 70-odd people were also quarantined at home for a period of 14 days.
Rane also said that the government is contemplating setting up a virology lab in the State, rather than sending samples to Pune for checking.
“Goa will set up its own virology lab soon so that we need not have to depend on Pune,” the minister said.
Sample of patients admitted at the quarantine and isolation wards in Goa on suspicion of corona virus infection are being sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune for testing.
Referring to upcoming Ketevan Sacred Music Festival scheduled to be held between March 13-15 at Old Goa, Rane said the Health Department has written to the State government to cancel or postpone the event.
He said that the music festival has artistes lined up from five different countries, which have been affected by coronavirus. “We have written to the chief minister today to ask the organisers to cancel the music festival and postpone it. We are advising to avoid large gatherings to control possibility of spread of coronavirus,” Rane said.
COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS
– Observe good
personal hygiene
– Frequently wash
hands with soap
– Cover your
mouth when coughing or sneezing
– Avoid close
contact with people who are unwell or showing symptoms of illness, such as
cough, running nose etc
– Avoid contact
with live animals and consumption of raw, undercooked meats
– Avoid travel to
farms, live animal markets or where animals are slaughtered
– Wear a mask if
you have respiratory symptoms such as cough or runny nose
