Goa: 90% of state’s 705 Covid-19 positive cases have been recorded in June

Goa has been reporting 35 Covid-19 positive cases on an average daily since early June. Worse, the daily average has been 41 Covid-19 positive cases in the past week.

Goa, which has a relatively smaller population of 16.6 lakh, has reported 705 coronavirus disease (Covid-19) positive cases, which are comparable with states such as Himachal Pradesh (HP) that has a far higher population.

While 90% of Goa’s 705 Covid-19 positive cases have been recorded in June, and the daily spike is comparable with much larger states such as Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, which have been reporting 60 and 49 cases, respectively. (HT File)

Goa has been reporting 35 Covid-19 positive cases on an average daily since early June.

Worse, the daily average has been 41 Covid-19 positive cases in the past week.

On the contrary, HP, whose population is four times that of Goa, has reported 595 Covid-19 positive cases and a daily average of 14.72.

While 90% of Goa’s 705 Covid-19 positive cases have been recorded in June, and the daily spike is comparable with much larger states such as Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, which have been reporting 60 and 49 cases, respectively.

Goa’s Covid-19 positive graph started rising June 2 onwards, when the coastal state recorded its first local case, when a resident with no recent travel or contact history was found to have contracted SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease, and was rushed to a hospital after he complained of severe difficulty in breathing.

Now, the state has two containment zones, two micro-containment zones and over 30 isolated cases that could spark outbreaks in their respective neighbourhoods.

However, Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant sought to explain away the higher number of Covid-19 positive cases and attributed them to aggressive testing.

“We’re conducting aggressive testing along the state’s borders and containment zones. That’s why more Covid-19 positive cases are being reported daily,” the CM said.

He also pointed out that Goa’s early detection of the viral infection is helping timely treatment for the patients.

“Most Covid-19 positive cases are asymptomatic, except 8-10. The symptomatic patients are undergoing treatment at dedicated Covid-19 hospitals and care centres,” he added.

Goa has conducted over 46,500 tests, which work out to around 30,000 per million people, which is being touted as among the highest in the country.

So far, the state has not recorded any Covid-19 related death, and the lone critical patient has also been taken off the ventilator support.

Though Goa has more Covid-19 positive cases as compared to HP (595), no death has been recorded in the state so far. While in HP six people have died due to the viral outbreak.

Goa’s Covid-19 positive count is also comparable with the Union Territory of Ladakh and the north-eastern state of Manipur, which have reported 687 and 606 cases, respectively.

State health secretary Nila Mohanan has urged all Goa residents to take the utmost precaution such as strict compliance with social distancing norms, use of face masks and report any flu-like symptoms to the health authorities concerned.