With biggest single-day spike of 258 Covid-19 cases, Goa’s tally past 5,000-mark

Speaking in the legislative assembly, health minister Vishwajit Rane said that “Goa couldn’t be insulated” when Covid-19 was spreading across the country since it was dependent on supplies from outside the state. However, he said that the situation was being well-handled.

Goa recorded its biggest single-day spike in Covid-19 infections on Monday with 258 new cases as the state government claimed that the situation is ‘being well-handled’ during a half-day assembly session.

Goa had 1,673 active Covid-19 cases as on July 27, 2020. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

The recorded positive cases took the state’s tally beyond the 5,000 mark - to 5,119 - while the death toll stands at 36.

Speaking in the legislative assembly, health minister Vishwajit Rane said that “Goa couldn’t be insulated” when Covid-19 was spreading across the country since it was dependent on supplies from outside the state. However, he said that the situation was being well-handled.

“We are sorry for the 35 deaths which have taken place. (The number increased to 36 later in the day). We have 4,686 positive cases recorded out of which 3,047 have recovered. So our recovery rate is as high as 65 per cent and Goa’s mortality rate is 0.75 percent which is lower than the national average,” Rane said.

“We have had a one day old newborn baby who was found Covid positive being healed and allowed to go home. 90-year-olds, too, have recovered and gone home. But if a person waits at home with five days continuous fever and doesn’t get himself tested, then we cannot help him,” Sawant said adding that all people who behaved ‘responsibly’ and received treatment on time had no reason to be afraid of the virus.

“I once again repeat, there is nothing to fear,” Sawant added.

The state now has 1,673 active cases, as 3,410 people have been discharged and 36 have succumbed to the infection, news agency PTI reported quoting a state official.

(With inputs from PTI)