6 more Covid-19 positive cases found in Vasco da Gama containment zone, Goa’s total tally reaches 79
The fresh Covid-19 positive cases come at a time when Goa was gearing up to grant further relaxations including reopening of restaurants, malls and gymnasia and allowing religious services.
Six more people have been found Covid-19 positive in Goa’s lone containment zone, taking the total number of persons who have contracted the coronavirus disease to eight within the area.
The area in Mangor Hill - a locality in the port town of Vasco da Gama - was decalred a containment zone after two people - a husband wife duo - were found Covid-19 positive here on Monday. They were admitted to hospital after complaining of shortness of breath.
“Six more cases have been found, four among the same family and two neighbours,” Goa’s Health Secretary Nila Mohanan said on Tuesday.
One of the couple’s three sons - a police constable - and one daughter-in-law are among those who have been found Covid-19 positive.
“Today we conducted 200 tests in the high risk zone as well as on people with co-morbidities and in the immediate vicinity of the house where the family is living,” Mohanan said, adding that the health authorities will continue to expand the radius of their testing till they are satisfied that the outbreak has been contained.
The private medical practitioner who had referred the couple to the hospital has been confirmed as negative.
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane too visited the containment zone “to assess the situation on the ground”.
“To access the ground situation at Mangor hills and review the implementation of containment strategy as per the National Covid-19 Action Plan, I shall be visiting the containment zone to discuss further course of action to control the spread of the virus,” Rane said.
No clear travel link has emerged leaving the health authorities flummoxed as to how the family contracted the virus. There are 1,700 to 2,000 people living inside the containment zone, Mohanan said.
Before Monday, all people found positive in the state were those who had travelled from outside the state. This is the first instance of a person without a clear travel history who has been found positive.
Goa’s total confirmed cases have climbed to 79 while the number of active cases has fallen to 22 after 13 patients recovered from the disease.
The fresh positive cases come at a time when Goa was gearing up to grant further relaxations including reopening of restaurants, malls and gymnasia and allowing religious services.
