In a bid to create hospital vacancy for critically ill COVID patients in Goa, the state Chief Minister announced on Saturday that all positive patients will be considered as home isolated, unless advised otherwise. This statement also debunks the need for the earlier mandated permission letter for the isolation of an asymptomatic patient, the CM stated. Patients can further obtain home isolation kits from the respective health centres, he added.
In view of the rising spread of the coronavirus infection in Goa, the state has ramped up efforts to create more COVID treatment facilities for the people. The government has recently furnished the exam hall at the Goa Medical College, as a provisional COVID ward. This space now accommodates about 150 beds and is expected to shoulder the increasing burden on the existing medical infrastructure.
Meanwhile, several steps have been forwarded to curtail the rise of fresh cases and break the chain of the coronavirus, including a weekend lockdown, across Goa. As announced by the Chief Minister, a strict shutdown is being followed here from April 29, 7 PM and it will continue till May 3, 6 AM, to curb contact transmission.
Reportedly, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Goa, has sought the extension of this lockdown for another two weeks. As per a formal letter of the association, the state must enforce similar restrictions and prohibitory protocols in Goa for another 15 days, from May 3 or till the positivity rate lowers.
In the last week, the case positivity ratio in Goa has shot up over 40% raising concern and alarms among the administration and people alike. About 3,024 fresh cases and 22 virus-related deaths were reported here on Friday. With a 73.5% recovery, logging in 955 recoveries, the active tally in the last 24 hours shot up by 2047 cases, up to 22,945 cases.
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