the goan I network
MARGAO
With the first batch of Goan seafarers expected to disembark at the Mormugao Port Trust any moment, Corona health warriors are bracing up for another round of COVID-19 battle.
After a brief break, when all the positive patients were all discharged from ESI hospital and a number of people quarantined at designated centres showing a downward trend, health official are on the ground once again, this time for the seafarers, presently holed up at the Mumbai Port Trust, expected to reach the state any moment after the MHA opened the ports for disembarkation of Indian seafarers.
Health Officials based in Margao, coordinating the COVID-19 battle, reached the Port Town (Vasco) on Tuesday night itself, to put arrangements in place for the battle ahead.
A senior health official told 'The Goan' that as many as four COVID kiosks have been put in place at the MPT. Besides, a full-fledged COVID testing laboratory has been set up at the Chicalim hospital with all facilities.
The Action plan put in place by the Health services indicates that the seafarers, once they disembark from the ships, will be checked at the four kiosks set up by the department. Besides screening and other tests, the health officials will collect their swabs and the same will be sent to the COVID testing laboratory for testing.
A senior health officer said the COVID testing laboratory at the Chicalim hospital will have all the facilities so that the reports of the tests are out within 24 hours.
During the 24-hour period, a health official said either the seafarers will be quarantined at the ship or in a centre within the jurisdiction of the port. “A decision will be taken on the place for the quarantine of the seafarers till their report comes from the Chicalim lab”, a senior health official said.
“We are all geared up for the second round of the battle. Three teams of doctors have been put in place to take charge of the emerging situation. The e COVID testing lab put in place at the Chicalim is not a makeshift lab, but a full-fledged Corona testing laboratory”, the official said.
That the Health Services have set up a full-fledged testing lab at Chicalim indicates that the government plans to test all seafarers at the Port once they return home by sea.
For over a week now, the COVID warriors fighting the corona battle had got a brief breather after all the seven patients, who were admitted at the ESI hospital, were all discharged after their tests had turned out negative.
The Margao Residency quarantine centre, which was literally empty during the weekend, now plays host to over 20 persons, most of them crew members of fishing vessels who had come in contact with crew that had sneaked into Goa during the ongoing lockdown.
