Goa designates its first Covid-19 containment zone as Unlock 1 gets underway

All recent cases in Goa involved people returning to the state but the couple who tested positive on Monday did not have a travel history.

The Goa government on Monday designated the first state’s containment zone in Mangor Hill -- a locality in the port town of Vasco da Gama after a man and his wife tested positive for Covid-19 on the first day of Unlock 1

The government plans to test as quickly as possible as many as possible in the containment zone. (ANI)

Health Secretary Nila Mohanan told reporters that the process of investigating the travel history and contact tracing was on.

“These are two residents members of a family from Mangor Hill in Vasco. They have confirmed positive in our RT-PCR test as well so we are now doing very concentrated contact tracing and taking all efforts to see what are the links and what are the possible contacts. Our investigations are going on ,“ Mohanan said. 

“We are still trying to trace their contacts but as of now we have not been able to establish a clear travel history link,” she said.

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Their three sons, a daughter-in-law and the doctor who referred the patients to the Goa Medical College and Hospital who have been identified as primary contacts, are under focus. .

The duo were admitted to hospital complaining of breathlessness following which tests were carried out.

“Because Mangor Hills is a very tightly packed area we have also taken a decision to declare Mangor Hill in Vasco as a containment zone. We will ensure that we do comprehensive testing of the residents of Mangor Hill and we want to ensure that we do that very comprehensively putting in all our efforts that is why we have decided to declare Mangor Hill in Vasco as a containment zone,” Mohanan added.

As per protocol, the State Health Department has set up a containment zone at Mangor Hill with the residence of the family as the centre of the zone.

“We will have the most extensive and immediate testing (in areas) next to their residence -- then slowly we will be expanding that circle outwards. So our target is to test as quickly as possible as many as possible in that containment zone. But our primary focus will be the immediate vicinity of where this family resides,” Mohanan said.

Prior to Monday, all persons found positive in the state were those who had travelled from outside the state. This is the first instance of a person without a clear travel history who has been found positive.

Health authorities have, however, sought to assuage fears.

“There is no need for fear in the minds of any members of the public, even those who are residing in Mangor Hill. We have taken this step as declaring Mangor Hill as a containment zone as a measure of abundant caution,” Mohanan said.

The two new cases came at a time when Goa was gearing up to grant further relaxations as part of the reopening of economic activity including the reopening of restaurants, malls and gymnasia and allowing of religious services.

Goa’s Covid-19 tally has now climbed to 73 with 29 active cases.