Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Covid-19 has made a quiet return to Goa, with a 70-year-old man from Vasco testing positive over the weekend. The patient, who has been shifted to Goa Medical College (GMC), marks the state’s entry into the list of regions seeing a slight resurgence of Covid cases, alongside Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. So far, 257 cases have been reported nationwide, many linked to newer variants.
A senior doctor, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the positive case. However, health authorities maintain that the situation is under control.
State epidemiologist Dr. Utkarsh Betodkar said the emergence of isolated cases was anticipated and does not warrant panic. “Most people have developed immunity through vaccination. Unless a major mutation occurs, we are likely to see only a mild increase in cases,” he said.
Dr. Betodkar added that the state’s post-pandemic surveillance is still in place, with regular testing of patients showing Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) and related symptoms. “These efforts help us identify trends early. So far, we’re not seeing signs of a surge. Historically, Goa tends to witness a rise in cases around September-October and again in February-March,” he said, noting there are currently no new advisories from the government.
Dr. Varsha Munj from the North Goa District Hospital assured that they are well-prepared for any possible spike. “We have trained personnel, an isolation ward, a functioning ICU, and even a genome sequencing lab in place,” she said.
In South Goa, no cases have been reported yet. Rajendra Borkar from the South Goa District Hospital confirmed that their area remains unaffected. “We’re monitoring the situation and will follow directives from higher authorities if needed,” he said
