Covid-19: Goa CM Sawant retracts his statement on community transmission

The CM also retracted his earlier statement that community transmission has started in Goa and insisted that the disease is spreading from one infected person to another.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday sought to allay fears about contracting SARS-CoV-2, which causes coronavirus disease (Covid-19), after a ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker tested positive last week.

Goa has reported a spike in Covid-19 positive in June, the worst month to date, when 95% of the cases were detected.(PTI)

The CM claimed that he had met the infected member of the legislative assembly (MLA) over eight days ago while maintaining adequate social distancing norms.

“We maintain adequate social distancing norms during meetings. The others are at liberty to undergo tests. We were sitting in the same room more than eight days ago and all precautionary measures were followed,” Sawant said.

The infected MLA is undergoing treatment at a local hospital and his health condition is stated to be stable.

The CM also retracted his earlier statement that community transmission has started in Goa and insisted that the disease is spreading from one infected person to another.

“It is not in the air. If we check the root of all the cases, even though I had said earlier that the community transmission has started, I stand corrected. It is being transmitted from one person to another. We have to be careful to break the chain. There is no community transmission in Goa,” Sawant said.

Goa has reported a spike in Covid-19 positive in June, the worst month to date, when 95% of the cases were detected.

Though the coastal state had reported less than 100 Covid-19 positive cases till end-May, the tally has since risen to around 1,400, including 700 active cases and four deaths.

Front-line healthcare workers such as nurses, hospital attendants, and police personnel, who are battling the pandemic, have been the worst affected by the contagion.