The Goa government on Wednesday said the State had not seen any new case of COVID-19 or person with symptoms of the virus in the last 24 hours, and if this continued for another 48 hours, then it would only be fair to call it a ‘safe zone.’
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the virology lab set up in Goa Medical College and Hospital was fully functional and tests were in process. “Forty eight samples have been sent to Pune on Monday and their reports are awaited. Our future depends on these samples. If there are no more cases over the next few days, then it would only be fair to call Goa a safe zone,” Mr. Sawant said.
Health Minister Viswajit Rane said reports of 12 suspected patients were expected. “These tests were done at Goa Medical College and Hospital virology lab. Besides this, the results of 48 backlog samples sent to Pune two days back are awaited. Fourteen tests conducted in Goa came negative,” he said.
The CM said 370 trucks filled with groceries entered Goa. “Almost 90% of grocery and vegetable shops have been functioning. We will open all fair price shops from Thursday. Sugar will also be included,” he said.
Goa Bhagyatdar, the State’s largest cooperative society, too, had supplies but was facing packaging issues and efforts were on to address this, Mr. Sawant said. He also said all government payments will be carried out after Thursday.
Given that the availability of vegetables and other supplies had increased, Mr. Sawant announced a grocery on wheels service, which was provided in Sanguem in South Goa on Wednesday.
Speaking on seafarers stranded in ports across the world, Mr. Sawant said he is seized with the issue and had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On Wednesday, 318 foreigners left Goa for Frankfurt via Mumbai on an Air India chartered flight. Till date 1,200 foreigners have been evacuated, while another 1,000 will be flown out soon.
The Goa Civil Supplies Department announced that in pursuance of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana Scheme, all ration card holders will be given additional quota of 5 kg per person per month for three months from April to June. The quota will be distributed from April 8 onwards.
