PANJIM: Almost 32 hours after Health Minister Vishwajit Rane’s announcement of the first COVID-19 positive case in Goa, which then turned to be false, was made, there has been no action from the GMC or the Health department in this regards.
GMC Dean Dr Shivanand Bandekar and Health Minister had said that a complaint has been lodged at the Agassaim police station, which has an outpost at GMC. It had been announced that a lady from Taleigao, had called GMC claiming to be from the laboratory, and said that a Norwegian national had tested positive for the deadly virus.
“The lady has been identified and we have lodged a complaint against the lady at GMC outpost,” Dr Bandekar told media-persons.
However, Herald spoke to the Agassaim Police Inspector Uday Parab on Wednesday and Thursday again but he had no complaint whatsoever from the GMC or anyone else in this regard.
“Lot of reporters and people are calling me, but we have received no complaint from anyone regarding this fake or hoax call. I checked with the GMC outpost and they don’t have any either,” Parab said.
Similar was the reply from Panjim police, they too had no such complaint.
Sources close to Herald said that there was no proper testing procedure for collection of swabs and reports in absence of a virology lab in the State. “When the neighbouring States have seen spurt in cases, how can Goa be so immune to disease?” the source asked, adding that perhaps the State fears they will have to suspend the process of Zilla Parishad elections, which they are so aggressively campaigning.
Calls to GMC Dean Bandekar for his reply went unanswered.
