NT NETWORK

Vasco

The spread of COVID-19 infection in the Mormugao municipal council (MMC) continued on Saturday with one more councillor of the civic body and an engineer attached to the council testing positive for the virus.

An Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) police sub-inspector, deployed at the containment zone near Varunapuri Mangor-Hill, has also tested positive.

According to sources, the police sub-inspector was deployed in the containment zone for the last few days. He had developed symptoms of the virus following which he got himself tested. He received his test report late Saturday evening which confirmed that he had contracted the disease.

The number of COVID-19-infected councillors in the 25-member MMC is now five. According to sources, two other councillors have developed symptoms of the viral infection. The throat swab samples of the two councillors have been collected and the test reports are awaited.

Apart from the MMC engineer, who tested positive for the virus on Saturday, two other staffers of the council – a sweeper and a consultant – have also been infected earlier.

Meanwhile, a couple residing near the Durga Mata temple at Housing Board Colony in New Vaddem tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday.

The number of positive cases reported in New-Vaddem locality now stands at 23. Residents staying in and around the temple have demanded that the authorities declare the entire area as a micro-containment zone to contain the spread of the disease.

“We are in the grip of fear since the last several days and not stepping out of the houses due to the scare of virus. The positive cases are spreading fast and there are chances of the infection spreading to all the people in and around the surroundings,” said a resident and a member of the Durga Mata temple committee.