Goa Prepared To Tackle Any Fresh Covid-19 Outbreak, Says Rane; Active Case Count At 19

The Goa health department is geared up to tackle any fresh outbreak of coronavirus in the tourist state, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Wednesday amid concern over detection of cases of a new COVID-19 sub-variant in parts of the country.

Talking to reporters after attending a virtual meeting presided over by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Rane said Goa currently has 19 COVID-19 patients and all of them have mild symptoms of the infectious disease and none is in serious condition. Health ministers of states attended the meeting.

"No patient of COVID-19 is hospitalized. All have been kept in home isolation as they have mild symptoms," the Goa minister said. Three new coronavirus cases were reported on Tuesday, taking the number of active count in Goa to 19, said the state health department. No fresh cases were detected on Wednesday after different facilities of the state government tested 15 swab samples during the day, said a bulletin released by the health department.

Rane said his department is geared up to face any fresh outbreak of the respiratory illness in the coastal state, where the tourist season is currently at its peak and foreign arrivals are picking up. "We are adhering to all guidelines issued by the central health ministry," he said.

During the virtual meeting, Mandaviya briefed all health ministers about guidelines on coronavirus and took stock of preparedness to deal with any situation, Rane said. As many as 21 cases of new COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been detected across the country till now, NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul said on Wednesday in New Delhi but asserted there was no need to panic.

He said the scientific community in India was closely investigating the new variant as he emphasised on the need for states to ramp up testing and strengthen their surveillance systems. The World Health Organisation has classified JN.1 as a separate "variant of interest" given its rapidly increasing spread but said that it poses a "low" global public health risk.