8 health workers test positive for COVID-19

Panaji: Health Secretary Nila Mohanan on Sunday said eight health workers attached to the Vasco urban health centre have tested positive for the dreaded coronavirus (COVID-19).

She informed that all these health workers were working actively in the locality of Mangor Hill, which is a containment zone.

Mohanan said two of the eight health workers, who have tested positive for COVID, were a part of the throat swab collection team, while the remaining health workers were working even before the area was declared a containment zone.

“There was an incidence of dengue and also malaria cases had surfaced in the locality, our health workers and field-level functionaries were on the field distributing nets and creating awareness,” she said. The health secretary admitted that the health department had halted throat swab collection and testing of people from Mangor Hill for a day. She said the drawing of throat swab samples has resumed in the area.

“Health workers testing positive for the virus was a cause of concern…we halted testing, as we needed to test everybody who came in contact with them who included many members of the UHC. After checking, we have deployed a new team, and the required training for swab collection process and how to wear the PPE etc has been provided to them,” Mohanan said.

She said the health department has not taken any specific decision as regards the screening of 100-odd students, who answered their SSC examination from the sub centre in Mangor Hill, days before it was declared a containment zone.

When questioned if the government would consider screening of the students, who are from outside the containment zone and had answered the exam at the particular centre, Mohanan said, “If there is any parental concern about their child’s health then they can approach us, we will screen the child and take a call.”

State epidemiologist Dr Utkarsh Betodkar informed that all the frontline health workers currently working at COVID hospital and also at containment zone in Mangor Hill are being tested every 14 days or as and when they show clinical signs and symptoms of COVID-19. 

“We don’t have any local cases other than Mangor Hill, other cases are of people, who have a travelled to Goa from other states or foreign countries,” he said.