PANJIM: After being in the Green Zone since April 19, Goa on Wednesday saw seven persons testing positive in the rapid test for COVID-19.
As per sources, all seven were tested with TrueNat rapid test kits and confirmed COVID-19 positive. The reconfirmation tests were being conducted at the GMC Virology lab and results were awaited till the time of going to the press.
Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant confirmed that the rapid test results of seven travellers were positive. “All seven are imported cases and Goans need not worry, there is no threat of community transmission,” he said.
He confirmed that one Goan family staying in Mumbai returned and another truck driver, who came from Gujarat, showed some symptoms and were isolated. “We cannot call all these people positive cases unless their lab tests results are out tomorrow,” he added.
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane also confirmed the positive cases on his social media handles. “Seven new COVID-19 cases have been reported positive via the TrueNat testing done at Ponda Sub-District Hospital. The tests have been further sent to the Virology lab at GMC for confirmation, results are awaited,” he wrote.
Sources said that one of the suspected patients is the driver of a goods carrier and had arrived in Goa from Gujarat. The other six include five members of a family from Maharashtra and their driver.
Sources said that all arrived in Goa on Wednesday and were quarantined immediately after the rapid test, which reduces the possibility of them having spread the contagion. All seven have been shifted to the COVID-19 hospital at Margao.
Rane further appealed to the citizens to adhere to all the lockdown guidelines suggested by MHA. “It is crucial for us to follow all the precautionary measures like wearing mask at all times, maintaining social distancing, washing hands thoroughly. We can only win the war against COVID-19 by standing united in spirit to keep our State safe,” he said.
Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco said that the development was expected going by the decisions and behaviour of the government. “The development was expected after the government commenced mining, casino, matka, illegal sand and all other illegalities. All money making rackets,” he told Herald.
Soon after the news broke out on social media about the positive cases, netizens took to the social media demanding the complete sealing of the Goa borders.
The Chief Minister also faced flak for agreeing to the decisions of the Centre to resume regular trains and flights. Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant’s statement of welcoming tourists to Goa was severely condemned on social media.
seven reports awaited: DHS
The State government Health Bulletin on Wednesday said that seven tests results are awaited. The bulletin said 248 inter-state domestic travellers have been put under home quarantine and 274 are under facility quarantine. Of 431 tests, 424 tested negative on Wednesday and seven reports are awaited.
