Goa sees biggest 1-day spike with 10 new cases, state tally reaches 39
Goa on Monday reported its biggest spike in Covid-19 cases as 10 people, who had recently returned to the state, were diagnosed with the disease to take its tally to 39, officials said and added 36 of them are active cases detected over the last three days.
A 100-bed hospital set up for Covid-19 patients in the state was until late last week empty as all the seven patients had been discharged after recovering.
Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant said 20 of the active cases involve those who arrived by a train from New Delhi after having alighted at Panvel in Maharashtra.
He added eight people found positive arrived by train on Saturday while 12 on Sunday.
The number of cases in Goa has risen since the weekend and involve largely those who have tested upon their arrival in the state. Officials said a family of five and their driver, two lorry drivers, and a cleaner, two people who returned from West Bengal, two industrial workers, and a seafarer are among the new patient.
“Of the active cases, 33 have come from Maharashtra [the worst-hit state by the pandemic],” Sawant said. He said Goa is the only state which is testing every passenger alighting in Goa. “On our request, the next Rajdhani [train] will not be coming to Goa. It is only the Keralabound trains that will continue to stop in Goa,” Sawant said.
Around 414 Goans stranded in Italy are being flown in next week on chartered flights arranged by a cruise ship company they worked with. Officials said they will screen and test them at the airport before sending them for quarantine as per the protocol.
Officials said 1.5 lakh migrants have registered with the Goa government seeking their return to their home states. Around 10,200 have returned or are scheduled to be sent to their respective states this week. Sawant said states like Bihar, West Bengal, and Orissa are yet to arrange trains for the migrant workers.
Almost two months of suspended operations has left the hospitality and tourism companies bleeding and industry associations are extremely disappointed with the absence of any relief package from the government.
The industry is struggling without any umbrella direction from the government and without any fiscal and monetary support, said the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH), which represents the entire industry in India.
The sector was expecting some relief measures as part of the ₹20-trillion Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan package aimed at boosting the economy and support industries hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I’m devastated as are most of my colleagues in the hospitality business. Between hospitality, hotels, and airlines we have
CM PRAMOD SAWANT SAYS 20 OF THE ACTIVE CASES INVOLVE THOSE WHO ARRIVED BY TRAIN FROM DELHI AFTER ALIGHTING AT PANVEL IN MAHARASHTRA