MAPUSA
Shrikant Naik (name changed) was an asymptomatic patient who tested positive for Covid at the Candolim Primary Health Centre on the third day of Chaturthi. By then, he had visited two Sarvajanik Ganesh mandals and got in touch with several other contactsntacts.
Three persons who came to celebrate Chaturthi in their ancestral home in Nadora were found positive after the one-and-half day Ganesh immersion. A day later, 15 persons of the same family who were asymptomatic also tested positive.
These are just two isolated cases reported in Bardez but could well be the trend in other parts of the State which celebrated Chaturthi with much flourish in the week gone by.
“Yes, there is a Chaturthi connection to the rise in Covid cases. Some of the cases we have come across were among people who had gathered for the festival,” said Dr Roshan Nazareth, Health Officer at Candolim Primary Health Centre.
Aldona Primary Health Centre Health Officer Dr Pritam Naik seconded him, stating that there was a possibility that cases have gone up due to Chaturthi celebration.
“I am not denying the possibility (that Chaturthi has resulted in spike of cases). Despite so much awareness and warning, people came out and celebrated Chaturthi in a big way,” Dr Naik said.
Health officials also expressed concern about people failing to adhere to guidelines and flouting home-isolation rules with impunity.
“Though we recommend home isolation, people continue to move around. They take it very lightly. Senior officials recommend use of police to force them to remain indoors. We can track a person/s living in a cluster or one geographical area. But it is practically impossible to keep a check on each and every person spread in different areas,” Dr Nazareth said.
The health fraternity expected the spike in cases after the Chaturthi festival, but was wary about the impact on the numbers.
“We expected a rise in the number of cases on account of Chaturthi. People took things very lightly. In such circumstances, it's best to avoid crowds and parties,” Dr Naik opined.
According to health officials, the pandemic will end faster only if people cooperate and that the ‘stay home, stay safe’ slogan was very much relevant, more so now than ever.
“Go out only if required. We need to ensure that three to four weeks post-Ganesh Chaturthi go by. Then we can roam everywhere. Not stepping out could be of tremendous support to the community,” the health officer at Candolim PHC said.
He stressed the importance of testing and requested people to come out and carry out the Covid test without anxiety.
He said the health team put in a lot of effort to prepare and convince people to come for testing but many opted out at the last minute.
“On Friday, we had called 70 people for testing but in the end only 45 made it. We want people to come for testing. It’s very sad when people drop out. All the effort we make goes waste,” he said.
He further said that testing, staying back for 17 days if positive and then coming back with antibodies was the best-case scenario in present circumstances.
