Tracking the virus in Goa | India Today Insight

On the morning of June 22, an 85-year-old man from Morlem in Sattari of north Goa became the state’s first COVID-19 casualty. The octogenarian had co-morbidities and was admitted to the Covid hospital ESI. The fact that he was bed-ridden for the past four years has left the state’s health officials worried. They are still figuring out how he got infected since he had not stepped out of his house. In the evening, another 58-year-old man from Vasco succumbed to the disease.

The coronavirus has spread its tentacles in Goa like wildfire in the one-and-a-half months since restrictions on travel were lifted on May 1. Till then, all of the state’s seven positive cases had recovered. The number of positive cases began to rise after the railways started running special trains from two Covid hotspots, Delhi and Mumbai. So far, Goa has recorded 864 positive cases. Out of them, only 152 have recovered. On June 21, the state recorded its largest single-day spike so far--64 people tested positive.

ALSO READ | Why the States are Broke

At least 77 travellers came back to the state infected, says the state health department. Like other parts of the country, Goa’s commercial capital and port city, Vasco da Gama, is the biggest hot spot with 90 per cent cases. One particular area, Mangor Hill, is linked to 66 per cent of the state’s cases. In the densely populated locality, 338 residents have tested positive and are believed to have been carriers infecting 225 people in other parts of the state.

Nearby areas like Sada, Baina, New Vaddem, Chimbel and Morlem are also affected. Another commercial centre, Madgao, has 10 cases. Betim, Quepem and Curtolim, all at close distances to Vasco and Madgao, have reported less than 10 cases. The state government has declared Mangor Hill a micro containment area and has started tracing the high-risk contacts. Health minister Vishwajeet Rane acknowledges the problem in Mangor Hill. “It is a case of local transmission, not community transmission. We are ready to face the situation,” he says.

The state government’s failure in screening travellers and testing suspected patients has cost it heavily in Vasco. Economic activities have slowed down, forcing the state government to seek another loan of Rs 100 crore in the second week of June.

Chief minister Dr Pramod Sawant has asked government employees not to attend office if any family member tests positive. The government has asked them to work from home. Sawant was keen on online classes for students too but had to give up on the plan under pressure from the opposition parties who pointed out that network connectivity is a serious problem in the state.

Subscribe to the daily newsletter for sharp insights delivered straight to your inbox https://www.indiatoday.in/newsletter