Isolation wards created as two quarantined in Goa

PANAJI: With two Covid-19 suspects quarantined in Goa Medical College (GMC) and hospital on Wednesday, the state government has upped measures to counter the disease by creating two more isolations wards.
A 10-bed isolation ward, one each in Hospicio hospital, Margao, and the Sakhali community health centre have been created, said health minister Vishwajit Rane.
The isolation ward which was created last month at the state-run Chicalim hospital in Vasco has seen no person quarantined yet. This facility is closest to the airport.
State epidemiologist Dr Utkarsh Betodkar said both the suspects who have been quarantined have a travel history. Their samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) at Pune, Maharashtra, and the results are awaited.
Chief secretary Parimal Rai chaired a meeting on Wednesday and issued directions to departments concerned to strictly comply with guidelines issued by the government of India with respect to Covid-19.
The meeting was attended by all stakeholders, including officials of the department of tourism, Captain of Ports and both district collectors. A direction was also issued to create a separate isolation facility in major private hospitals, separate from out patient department (OPDs) for foreign travellers.