PANAJI: Nine more died of Covid in Goa on Sunday-Monday and 414 more people were reported as tested positive for the dreaded virus, the official health bulletin said.
With Monday's reports, the virus has thus far claimed 192 lives and an aggregate 7,814 people have contracted it since Goa reported the first positive case back in March this year.
Of the nine deaths on Sunday-Monday, two persons are from the St Inez locality of the capital city, and one person each hailed from Pajifond-Margao, Ribandar, Ponda, Merces and Sanvordem. Another victim is yet to be identified and the last is a non-resident from West Bengal. Meanwhile, make-shift facilities designated by the government as Covid-19 hospitals and care centres are overflowing with 'active cases' breaching the 3,600-plus levels.
The situation has forced the authorities to prepare and designate yet another ward at the Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim exclusively for Covid-19.
The premier State health institution was initially excluded from the Covid response setup but as cases began mounting and fatalities also rising, the Government changed strategy in mid-August and brought its medical response directly under the command and control of the GMC.
The facility at Bambolim had also set aside four of its wards for treating Covid patients, particularly those with severe co-morbid conditions.
All four wards are almost nearing capacity, according to Dean, Dr Shivanand Bandekar. Dr Bandekar added that the 30-bedded ward 122 is being additionally assigned exclusively for Covid.
