Goa to emulate Maharashtra SOPs, could test passengers from Delhi

Panaji: The Goa government will emulate Maharashtra government's standard operating procedures (SOPs) to test incoming passengers from areas with a high number Covid-19 cases such as Delhi, state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Saturday.

Rane also said that with the culmination of Chhath Puja, the state could also witness a large number of migrant workers from north Indian states entering Goa and said that the government is in the process of formulating protocols from migrant labourers.

"In view of the rising cases in Delhi, the government of Goa will adopt SOPs of (the) Maharashtra government and other state governments for flights and trains coming from Delhi. The Health Secretary will hold an emergency meeting on the protocols for those coming in from the state of Delhi," Rane said in a social media post.

"With the end of Chhath Puja, a large number of migrant workers will start coming to the state. In view of the same, a note has been sent to the Health Secretary for immediate deliberations on the protocols for labourers, SOPs for industries and for the state with regard to testing," Rane added.

Goa has witnessed a dip in the number of daily Covid-19 cases with only 152 positive cases getting reported on Friday. In all, 46,632 confirmed cases have been reported in Goa, of which 672 have died.

Earlier this week, in view of the increasing tourist traffic to Goa, Rane had said that hotels would soon be directed to maintain a few isolation rooms in case their guests test positive.