Strict COVID-19 curbs come into force in Goa
People stayed indoors and streetswore a largely deserted look on Friday as a four-day-longlockdown came into force in Goa to bring down the risingCOVID-19 cases in the coastal state.
The COVID-19-related curbs came into force at 9 pm onThursday and will remain applicable till 6 am on Monday (May3).
The state government has said all essential serviceswould be allowed to function during the period.
A senior police officer said there was hardly anytraffic on roads and strict patrolling was underway toimplement the restrictions, especially in urban areas.
People have cooperated and are staying inside theirhomes, he said.
Goa has been witnessing a consistent rise in COVID-19cases and deaths during the second wave of the pandemic,forcing the state administration to restrict movement ofpeople and other public activities.
“Weekly markets will not be allowed during thelockdown. Casinos will also remain shut. However, industrialactivities will be allowed to function,” Chief Minister PramodSawant had said while announcing the curbs on Wednesday.
Vaccination centres will function normally during theperiod, he had said.
The state clocked a 50 per cent positivity rate onThursday when out of 5,910 samples tested for coronavirus,3,019 returned positive, health department data showed. Also,36 patients succumbed to the viral infection during the day.
The Indian Medical Associations Goa unit on Fridaydemanded that the lockdown be continued for 15 days or atleast till positivity rate – proportion of samples returningpositive among the total tested – drops to 10 per cent.
We wish the lockdown is extended by another 15 daysor moreto have the Break the Chain effect which willdefinitely help in making the COVID-19 graphgoin a downwardtrend, IMA Goa president Vinayak Buvaji said in a letter tothe chief minister.
The IMA would favour extending the lockdown for atleast 15 days from Monday (May 3) or till the positivity comesdown from existing 50 per cent to 10 per cent, he said.
Healthcare infrastructure will be able tomanage witha lower positivityrateand also bring down mortality rate,”he said.
Goa has so far recorded 88,028 COVID-19 cases and1,146 deaths. As on April 29, the tiny coastal state had20,898 active cases.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)