the goan I network
PANAJI
Shock waves travelled across the state of Goa on Wednesday afternoon with Health Minister Vishwajit Rane issuing an official statement on the basis of a hoax call about an alleged first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Goa.
The wildfire of fake messages and rumours did not spare even Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, who fell prey to unconfirmed information shared with him from a GMC official, who received the hoax call.
The saga of this hoax call unfolded between 12 pm and 12.45 pm when Health Minister Rane sent out urgent communication through WhatsApp to all media persons stating that Goa finally has a confirmed case of COVID-19 on its hands.
“It was my apprehensions and fear. The first confirmed case of COVID-19 detected in Goa. It’s a Norwegian patient. The Goa Government is taking all precautions under the protocol. He left from Norway for India on February 6, 2020. Then he travelled to Delhi, Agra, Aassam and Meghalaya before arriving in Goa on February 20. He has had a fever and cough since March 10. He was a suspect case and will now be put in the isolation ward and all measures under
the guideline are being taken,” Rane stated.
He went on to add that the Goa Government has moved a file for lockdown to disallow tourists from entering the state of Goa from the neighbouring states of Maharashtra and Karnataka as well as other Indian states and that Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim is immediately tying up with another laboratory within the premises for testing, blood testing and oral swab testing.
However, within 30 minutes a fresh communique was issued to all press persons and health services officials frantically contacted media houses asking them to take down the news, which was found to be false.
Rane went on to issue another statement in which he said, “The information was received by Dr Edwin of GMC but it was a hoax. People should not be doing this. The caller said that he is speaking from the notified laboratory. Reports have not yet come.”
Following this mess up, it was decided that in future, all information will be given only by Dr Utkarsh Betodkar, the State Epidemiologist, who is the notified person to give information regarding any COVID-19 tests upon confirmation from the concerned laboratory.
In another statement issued immediately thereafter, Rane said, “This is an act of mischievousness with the intention of creating panic in Goa. In any case, we are ready from all sides. This is not the time to play fool. GMC Dean Dr S M Bandekar is looking into it. The lady is from Panaji and has been traced.”
While the Health Department believes that it has undertaken sufficient damage control, Wednesday’s incident has magnified all the loopholes in the preparedness of the state health machinery as well as the public at large in handling a matter as serious as a pandemic.HEALTH MINISTER VISHWAJIT RANE
WEDNESDAY NOON
It was my apprehensions and fear. The first confirmed case of COVID-19 detected in Goa. It’s a Norwegian patient ..
30 MINUTES LATER
The information was received by Dr Edwin of GMC but it was a hoax. People should not be doing this ..
