7 test positive for COVID-19 in preliminary test

NT NETWORK

Ponda/Panaji

Seven persons, who arrived from outside Goa have tested positive for COVID-19 in the preliminary test conducted at the sub-district hospital at Ponda.

However, the results of the confirmatory tests are awaited from the virology laboratory at the Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim. The test reports are expected to be out by early morning on Thursday.

The seven persons include a Goan family, consisting of five members, and their driver, who have travelled to Goa from neighbouring Maharashtra by a private vehicle. The seventh person is a driver, who drove a truck to Goa from Gujarat.

All seven persons were tested using ‘Truenat Beta CoV test’ wherein they were found to be positive for COVID-19. As per the protocol, their samples were drawn again and sent to the GMC’s virology laboratory for a final confirmatory test.

As per the protocol set by the Union Health Ministry, if the result of the Truenat Beta CoV test is found to be negative, there is no requirement for further test. However, if the samples test positive, then there is a need to conduct a confirmatory test.

Sources said that the family along with their driver was directly taken to a quarantine facility in Ponda where their throat swab samples were drawn, while the driver from Gujarat entered Goa late night on Tuesday and spent the night in the truck at Bethoda.

On Wednesday afternoon, when the truck driver approached a nearby dhaba (a roadside food stall), the staff there noticed that his health condition ‘was not good’. The staff then enquired and upon learning that the driver had travelled from outside the state, the food stall staff called the ambulance and subsequently the driver was shifted to the sub-district hospital.

Sources in the health department said all seven persons are ‘asymptomatic’ and they are being closely monitored by the doctors.

The health department sources claimed that none of the seven persons came in contact with any individual after entering the state borders. Hence, there is no question of community spread of the dreaded virus in Goa.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the family of five and their driver has not come in contact with anyone. However, the contacts of the driver from Gujarat have been quarantined, he said.