State records biggest single-day spike of 388 COVID-19 cases

PANJIM: The peak-tourism week marked with celebrations resulted in Goa reporting 388 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, the biggest single-day spike as the positivity rate jumped to 10.76 per cent. 

Amid celebrations, the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve saw a jump in active COVID-19 cases from 461 to 1,671 on Sunday. The positivity rate on December 25 was 2.19 per cent, and the same climbed to 10.76 per cent on Sunday. 

Since December 25 till date, the coastal State has logged 992 new cases with five patients succumbing to the infection.  For the first time in several months, the positivity rate jumped over ten per cent, which is worrying. 

Though, the cases are on rise, the infection is on the milder side with 384 people on Sunday, opting for home isolation with only four hospital admissions. 

Panjim reported 50 more cases taking the total active case tally to 201; however, Margao has the highest number of 211 active patients, as 45 new cases were reported on Sunday. 

Cansaulim (144) and Cortalim (111) also crossed 100 mark of active patients, with health centres such as Porvorim, Mapusa, Chimbel, Vasco, Ponda, Loutolim and Candolim also reporting more cases. 

Though the State government has imposed certain curbs, in the absence of stringent measures, the cases continue to soar. The Task Force on COVID-19 management is set to meet on Monday to decide on the recommendations of the Expert Committee, including imposing night curfew and switching back to online mode of learning for students’ upto Class XII for 15 days. 

Since March 2020, a total of 1, 81,570 have tested positive for the virus of which 1,76,376 have been cured with the recovery rate standing at 97.14 per cent. 

Crew member aboard Cordelia cruise ship tests COVID +ve

VASCO: A crew member on board the Cordelia cruise ship that sailed from Mumbai to Goa tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. 

There are around 2017 individuals on board including 1471 passengers and 596 crew members. As per the directions from State health authorities, every individual aboard will have to undergo the mandatory RTPCR test prior to disembarking.

Govind Pernulkar, Manager Operation JM BAXI & CO (local ship agent), said they received  information about a crew member testing positive for COVID-19 in the morning and before the ship could arrive, all necessary arrangements for testing all individuals aboard were made at Mormugao Port Trust’s cruise terminal. 

“Yesterday the ship sailed from Bombay to come to Goa with 1471 passengers and 596 crew members. In the morning a crew member complained of fever and was tested positive in the antigen test. So, before the ship’s arrival the captain informed me. Soon after we received information we informed all concerned authorities including port authorities, Collector’s office, health authorities etc,” Pernulkar said.

He said, “We first decided to keep the vessel outside in waters till we received instructions from the government. Later we received communication from the government allowing us to bring the vessel to cruise berth and immediately disembark the COVID positive crew member so as to take him to the COVID facility in the State. The vessel berthed at the jetty and remaining 2016 individuals aboard will undergo the mandatory RTPCR test.” 

“We have made arrangements with the local hospital and a team of 25 people has already boarded the vessel for COVID testing. It is expected that all the people onboard will be tested by midnight and within 10 hours, the report will be out. Once all the reports are negative only then the port will permit inward outward of passengers. Also, there were people joining from Goa but now they are not allowed,” Pernulkar added.