PANAJI: The state’s active Covid-19 tally dropped to 3,647 on Sunday after 187 new cases were recorded, the lowest single-day count in a month and a half.
Sunday also saw the first time in 54 days that the state’s daily Covid-19 tally dropped below the 300 mark. Goa has been reporting 300-500 cases a day over the past few weeks, and last month, 740 new infections were recorded in a single day.
Doctors say that this is partly due to the weekend phenomenon seen all over the country, when testing slows down. Some non-bedded primary health centres in the state are not open on Sundays, and fewer people opt for testing over the weekend.
The last time the state’s daily count dipped below 300 was on August 24, when 139 new infections were reported. Daily infections have been showing a slight decline over the past week, with new cases remaining largely in the 300-range
State epidemiologist Dr Utkarsh Betodkar said that while cases appear to be on the decline it’s too early to say this. “It’s possible that we’re on a decline, but we will have to wait for the coming week,” he said, cautioning that “one must not let their guard down”. “If we stop taking precautions, cases will begin to peak again,” he warned.
Hospitals too have felt the slight dip in cases. “All hospitals, both government and private, now have less patient load,” he said. “There was a time when they were full. If we continue taking precautions, the cases should really fall.”
Goa medical college (GMC) dean Dr S M Bandekar said that there has been a decline in hospital admissions. “We would receive around 30-40 Covid pneumonia patients (daily). The number has gone down slightly. We received around 20 new admissions on Sunday,” he said.
Meanwhile, six more persons succumbed to the infection on Sunday, half of them below the age of 60. The deceased were from Curtorim, Cortalim, Pernem, Sindhudurg, Sanguem and Vasco. A 39-year-old man with liver cirrhosis, ALD and other comorbidities died after ten days of admission.
A 48-year-old man with diabetes, hypertension and chronic kidney disease died after 12 days in hospital. A 51-year-old man with diabetes died after eight days of hospitalisation. A 68-year-old man with diabetes, hypertension, CVA and operated carcinoma colon died after being in hospital for six days.
A 75-year-old man with hypertension and ischemic heart disease also passed away after 17 days in hospital, while an 80-year-old woman with hypertension and diabetes succumbed after 19 days in hospital.