Goa gets second containment zone as villages continue lockdowns

PANAJI: The spike in Covid-19 cases continued as it spread across the state, forcing the government to declare Ghodemal in Sattari taluka’s Morlem village a containment zone—the second after Mangor Hill—after it reported 15 positive cases.
While there were demands from other areas where there was a surge in cases, like Shiren in Chimbel, to make it a containment zone, the government said it has not taken a decision as it was only from one family.
But fear and panic continued to grip villages as more panchayats declared self-imposed lockdowns after positive cases were detected, squarely blaming the Pramod Sawant-led government for compromising the safety and health of the people.
Ghodemal was declared a containment zone after 15 persons tested positive, after a health worker from the village posted at the Vasco urban health centre has got the virus.
Sawant said only a portion of the ward has been declared a containment zone, and the houses along its periphery have been earmarked as a “buffer”. He said the government was looking at other areas that have seen a spike in cases o turning them into a containment zones and “the decision about them will be taken in a phased manner”.
After Ghodemal reported four cases on Friday, health minister Vishwajit Rane requested the district administration to declare it a containment zone. Rane also discussed the issue with health secretary Nila Mohanan. “We have taken necessary precautions to break the chain of transmission,” Rane said on social media.
One of the Covid positives from the village is a security guard who was posted at the Goa Medical College (GMC). Dean Dr S M Bandekar said the guard was stationed at the hospital’s parking lot for the past three-four days. “Since he is asymptomatic, he has been transferred to the Covid care centre,” Bandekar said. “Those who travelled with him from Morlem to Bambolim have been tested on Friday.”
Goa’s active Covid-19 tally neared the 400 mark on Friday, as 46 new positives pushed the total up to 396. However, it was the first day in more than a week that Mangor Hill reported no new cases. However, cases “linked” to the containment zone shot up to 117, up from Thursday by 39. Most of the new cases were from Baina and New Vaddem in Vasco, Chimbel and Morlem. Five travellers also tested positive.
Meanwhile, after eight cases (three on Friday) were reported at Shiren in Chimbel, Santa Cruz MLA Antonio Fernandes and several other locals demanded that the area be sealed. However, Sawant said all the Chimbel cases are linked to Mangor Hill. North Goa collector R Menaka, too, said that no decision had been taken on sealing a portion of Chimbel, as the cases were limited to one family and its contacts.
Two more villages — Cumbharjua and Sanvordem — have joined the ever-growing list of villages opting for self-imposed lockdowns to prevent the transmission of Covid-19. The two village panchayats took the call after some of their residents tested positive. Union Ayush minister Shripad Naik’s son Siddesh requested Sawant to take necessary measures to protect the villagers.
Cumbharjua panchayat secretary Ramita Murgaonkar said the voluntary lockdown would include the closure of shops, alcohol stores, salons and construction activity.
Of the four cases in the village, one person who tested positive was living with five other family members. Local sources said the family has been moving about the village, visiting others, over the past two days. The state health department has tested 10 persons who came in contact with the family, and reports are expected on Monday. The other three are individuals who returned from Mumbai.
“We can’t understand how the government takes decisions,” said former Cumbharjua sarpanch and current panch Suresh Naik. “People are being allowed to come from Mumbai, stamped with ‘home quarantine’, and sent off. Some are not even tested. There is no support from the government. The chief minister makes one statement in the morning and another statement in the evening.” Thus, the panchayat has decided to block roads leading to the village, and to stop the ferry service except for emergencies. “Nobody will be allowed to enter Cumbarjua and nobody will be allowed to leave the village,” Naik said. “Our village boys will be there to close the bridge that leads to the village.”
Meanwhile, the Morlem panchayat, which had already imposed a seven-day lockdown, extended it by another seven days, sarpanch Vidya Sawant said.
On Friday, two patients were discharged from the Covid hospital, taking the total tally of cured patients to 67. Also, 3,501 samples were tested on Friday, of which 2,072 returned negative. 1,383 reports are awaited.