PANAJI: Goa’s Covid-19 positivity rate dropped to 3 % on Saturday, the lowest since June. The state reported 70 new cases, 144 recoveries and two Covid deaths, taking the tally of active cases to 1,110.
During the first 10 days of December, the daily average of Covid cases has been 117. Earlier this month, the positivity rate fell below 10 % and hovered between 5 to 8 % on most days. Saturday’s decline in cases is almost half of the average positivity rate reported over the last few days.
With two Covid-linked deaths, the mortality count rose to 706. Two men – a 70-year-old from Pilerne and a 65-year-old from Mapusa – died in Goa Medical College (GMC).
GMC dean and in-charge of Covid-19 hospitals Dr S M Bandekar said both patients testing positive for coronavirus was an incidental finding, and that their underlying health conditions were the primary cause of their deaths.
One patient had cancer with metastasis and other had decompensated advanced liver disease.
On Saturday, 40 patients had to be hospitalised while 23 opted for home isolation.
Panaji saw its caseload dropping below 50. Porvorim, with 89 cases, registered a marginal decline.
In South Goa, the Margao Urban Health Centre continued to have a comparatively higher caseload and its tally stood at 118 while that of Ponda fell below 50.