Goa: Fatorpa virus outbreak under control, say health officials

MARGAO: The Covid outbreak at Bomdamol, Fatorpa, appears to be veering under control as after testing almost 50% of the population from within the containment zone, the rate of detection of positive cases has been on a decline.
Sources said that since Bomdamol was declared as a containment zone on July 2 after 19 positive cases were detected from the locality, only three more have been found infected until Monday.A health department official described the situation as “well under control.”
However, almost all of the 22 cases found positive in the Bomdamol were also found to have had links to Ambelim. Sources said two women from Bomdamol who were first detected positive had visited a house in Ambelim for preparing doce, a Goan sweetmeat, for a wedding in the family. As they continued to mingle with others in the locality on their return, it is suspected that they passed on the infection to many more. Besides, some from Bomdamol, it is learnt, also attended a funeral in the village, and contracted the virus. Some persons from the buffer zone were also found to be positive subsequently.
Health department officials said that timely detection of positive cases in Bomdamol helped avert a widespread outbreak. “People from this area work as house maids and farm helps in Cuncolim and surrounding areas where they are mostly engaged in the work of bathing infants, cleaning utensils, washing clothes, etc. Had they gone undetected, cases would have spiked over a larger area rendering the task of containing the spread a tad difficult,” a health worker said.
Health officials attached to the Balli PHC have been closely monitoring the situation. Sources said that 111 throat swab samples were drawn on Monday, which includes people from Veroda, Cuncolim, Morpirla and also from within the Bomdamol containment zone. The reports are awaited.
Significantly, a health worker attached to the Balli primary health centre (PHC) and who was recently relieved from his duties at the ESI-Covid hospital, has tested positive. Sources said that though the worker was directed to resume duties in the Balli PHC from June 30, he was advised to self-isolate for a few days. When his swab sample was tested the fifth day, the report came positive. He has been admitted in a Covid care facility, sources said.
Meanwhile at Moti Dongor, 715 more throat swab samples were collected for testing. The health department has already tested nearly 1400 swab samples from within the containment zone. Of the nearly 1,000 samples drawn in the last lot, five had tested positive.