Goa sees 174 new Covid-19 infections on Thursday

PANAJI: Goa’s tally of active cases increased to 1,666 with 174 new infections reported on Thursday. As many as 114 patients were cured and discharged.
The government has issued standard operating procedures (SOP) for home quarantining very mild, pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic Covid patients. The cabinet on Wednesday had decided that asymptomatic Covid patients may be allowed to home quarantine.
A spike in new cases was reported from Cortalim, Sanguem, Ponda, Loutolim, Margao, Panaji, Chimbel, Candolim and Colvale.
After a gap of over a week, Loutolim in South Goa and Chimbel in North saw a rise in cases. Both areas saw steady rise in infections spread over two weeks last month and subsequent drop in numbers.
The rise in cases reported in two areas — Loutolim 16 and Chimbel 15 cases — indicates people mustn’t lower their guard even if there is dip in cases for a week or more, a health official said.
“Precautions have to be taken because it takes time for Covid-19 symptoms to surface in some patients while some may not at all exhibit any signs of the virus,” he said.
Candolim also witnessed a rise with 11 new cases reported on Thursday.
A school teacher and her son from Old Goa have tested positive. Another teacher from an educational institute in Bicholim also tested positive. All 50-plus employees of the institute were subjected to tests and their reports are awaited.
Twenty-three new cases were reported from Cortalim, which now has a total of 400 cases.
As per the new SOP, any asymptomatic Covid patient wishing to be home isolated will require to place his request before the collector or deputy collector through an email and submit an undertaking annexed to the application form.
The application will be forwarded to the health officer concerned who shall ascertain the status of the patient and re-submit it to the deputy collector or collector with his recommendations.
A symptomatic Covid patient will be allowed to be in home quarantine on recommendations of the health official, but subject to condition that he updates his health status to local health authority.
A local body — panchayat or municipality — will be intimated about it and required to paste a sticker on the patient’s house.
It will be the responsibility of the panchayat or municipality to keep a tab on patients in home quarantine in their jurisdictions and that they do not flout the conditions.