GMC security guard tests positive

Panaji: A security guard working at the state premier medical institute Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) at Bambolim on Saturday tested positive for the dreaded coronavirus (COVID-19). As a matter of precaution, the health department is drawing throat swab samples of his co-workers for testing and taking all required steps to prevent the spread of the virus in the premises of GMC.

“Whoever may have come in contact with that particular security guard, all will be tested for COVID-19 and Dean of GMC is taking all required steps,” health secretary Nila Mohanan told a press conference in Panaji. NT

Newborn at COVID hospital tests negative

Panaji: The newborn that was delivered at the Margao-based COVID-19 hospital fortunately tested negative for the virus on Saturday. It is pertinent to note that a pregnant woman was admitted to the COVID hospital on Thursday after she tested positive for the dreaded virus.

On Friday, a team of doctors from the Goa Medical College was called in and they performed a caesarean section on the woman.

“The newborn has tested negative for the virus. I am also very happy to say that the baby is absolutely healthy. After the delivery, the doctors immediately shifted the baby to the paediatrics ward of Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim,” health secretary Nila Mohanan said interacting with media persons in Panaji.

Mohanan said the COVID positive mother continues to be in the COVID hospital, as she is yet to recover from the disease. NT

She congratulated the doctors of GMC’s department of obstetrics and gynaecology and the department of paediatrics, who performed the surgery and also professor and head of medicine department at Goa Medical College Dr Edwin Gomes and Hospicio medical superintendent Dr Ira Almeida, who led the team.

3 contacts of COVID hospital kitchen employee test positive

Panaji: Three close contacts of Margao’s ESI Hospital’s COVID positive kitchen staff testing positive for the virus on Saturday has become a cause of worry for the health authorities in the state.

It is pertinent to note that a kitchen employee of the ESI Hospital, which is the state’s only hospital designated for the treatment of COVID-19 symptomatic patients, had recently tested positive for the deadly virus following which the throat swab samples of his primary and secondary contacts were drawn for testing by the health department.

“There is one person, who was part of the kitchen at the ESI hospital who had tested positive and today’s list, we have around three contacts of the particular person have also tested positive,” health secretary Nila Mohanan told a press conference in Panaji.  

Health Minister Vishwajit Rane took to Twitter informing that in view of the rising cases at the ESI Hospital quarters, he has instructed the health secretary to conduct mass testing of all employees at the ESI quarters.

He also said that random testing will be conducted at Azad Nagar and Moti Dongar, which are densely populated areas next to the COVID hospital. Mohanan said that drawing of random samples by the health workers has already begun at Moti Dongor. NT