Nachinola records first COVID case

MAPUSA: The Nachinola village in Bardez taluka recorded its first COVID-19 positive case after a police constable, attached to the outpost at the state-run Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim, tested positive for the deadly virus.

The patient has been shifted to the COVID care centre at Shiroda for treatment. According to information available, the police constable had got himself tested for COVID as a precautionary measure following the detection of cases at the state-run hospital. The constable was shifted to the COVID care centre on Thursday evening immediately after his test report was received.

Confirming the case, health officer of Aldona primary health centre Dr Pritam Naik said the constable was working at Bambolim and had got himself tested.

“The condition of the patient is good; he is asymptomatic. The patient’s immediate contacts, his mother and brother, have tested negative, while reports of the swab test conducted on three other members are awaited,” said Dr Naik. “We are in touch with the patient and trying to trace the other contacts,” she said.

Following the news of the positive case, the Nachinola panchayat on Friday called a special meeting of the panchayat body and resolved to strictly implement the social distancing norms and wearing of mask in the village.

Sarpanch of Nachinola Pooja Mayekar said, “We have decided to ask the villagers not to move out of their houses unnecessarily for a period of at least seven days. They will be requested to buy grocery items or complete their other works between 6 am and 11 am. We, along with police staff, have also visited the house of the patient and asked the family members to stay indoors.”

When questioned whether the patient had moved around in the village recently, she said, “We have decided to request the fire station to undertake a sanitisation drive in the village as well as places the patient had visited.”

According to locals, the patient was seen moving around in the village as a result of which there is fear among the villagers, especially the youth who had interacted with him. Locals said that following the news of the constable testing positive, a few youth who were seen with him have quarantined themselves.

Meanwhile, the person from Aldona, who had travelled from Mumbai, has recovered from the viral infection and returned home after completing his course of treatment.