log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday SUNDAY JUNE 14, 2020 WANT A COPY OF THE GOAN DELIVERED TO YOUR WHATSAPP EVERY MORNING? Send a ‘YES’ message on 9607003330 CM: 1,500 seafarers to arrive next week PANAJI: The Mormugao Port will face its first major test of preparedness in relation to handling international travellers amidst the Covid-19 pandemic next week when the cruise ship Celebrity Infinity is expected to call at the port to disembark some 1500-odd Goan seafarers on Wednesday next. It will be the single biggest repatriation Goa has seen since the global pandemic left thousands of Goans, mostly seafarers, stranded across the globe.  >> See pg 4 Nepal Parl passes bill to redraw map KATHMANDU: Nepal’s Parliament on Saturday unanimously voted to amend the Constitution to update the country’s new political map, laying claim over the strategically key areas of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura along the border with India.  >> See pg 7 Loss of smell, taste now Covid signs NEW DELHI: Loss of smell or taste has been added to the list of COVID-19 symptoms, according to the revised clinical management protocols released by the Union Health Ministry on Saturday. The ministry said that coronavirus-infected patients reporting to various COVID-19 treatment facilities have been reporting symptoms like fever, cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, expectoration, myalgia, rhinorrhea, sore throat and diarrhea. Prices of petrol, diesel up 7th day in a row NEW DELHI: Petrol price on Saturday was hiked by 59 paise and diesel by 58 paise as oil firms for seventh day in a row adjusted rates in line with costs since ending an 82-day hiatus in revision. Petrol price in Delhi was hiked to Rs 75.16 from Rs 74.57, while diesel rates were increased to Rs 73.39 from Rs 72.81. WEATHER >> Max: 27.7 C Min: 24.2 C Humidity: 95% TIDES 10.49 05.42 -----17.41 The Goan (Playstore) PRICE ` 6 VOLUME V, NO. 356 GOA KTC drivers rue absence of hygiene, sanitation at Margao depot 2 MARGAO ovid scare hit the South Goa district Collectorate on Saturday morning when a person form Vasco walked into the building to collect his Covid test certificate from the Mamlatdar office without realising that he was a Covid positive patient. As the news spread that the person, who came to collect his report, has turned positive, the district authorities got the building lifts, staircase and the places inside the Matanhy Saldanha Administrative building sanitized as a confidence building exercise and matter of abundant caution. The incident raised a host of C RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 NEWS Community transmission present in parts of India: experts 7 SPORTS India can’t handle pressure in knock-out games: Gambhir 8 ALDONA, NACHINOLA, MERCES, AGARWADA-CHOPDEM ANNOUNCE RESTRICTIONS FOR 3 TO 7 DAYS PANAJI As Covid cases continue to rise sharply across the State, a growing number of panchayats have snubbed government relaxations in the lockdown and have, instead, imposed their own strict lockdown in a desperate attempt to control the spread of Covid. On Saturday, four panchayats in three talukas became the latest set of local bodies to declare a strict lockdown, following growing alarm among residents in their respective villages. The lockdown imposed by the panchayats at Aldona and Nachinola (Bardez), Merces (Tiswadi) and Agarwada-Chopdem (Pernem) varied in the number of days, but 5-day lockdown in Quepem town QUEPEM: Voicing concern over increasing Covid cases in Quepem constituency and surrounding areas, the Quepem Municipal Council (QMC) has resolved to impose a total lockdown in Quepem municipal area from June 16 to June 20. During the lockdown, essential provisions like milk and other items will be made available as it was done during the first lockdown period. The QMC has advised all people to remain in their homes and not to venture in the marketplaces without any undue reasons. the intent was clearly aimed at stopping public movement and shutting down shops and other establishments not dealing in essential services in their respective areas. The Aldona panchayat convened an emergency meeting and unanimously resolved to shut down the village for three days (June 14-16) as preventive measures to arrest the spread of Covid, after a local who arrived from Mumbai tested positive in Aldona. During this period, shops with essential services will be allowed to remain open from 6.30 am to Covid positive patient critical, on ventilator  WAS BROUGHT TO GMC BY 2 UNKNOWN PERSONS  HUNT ON TO TRACE THEM  60 NEW CASES COME TO LIGHT, 26 ARE FROM MANGOR THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Health Secretary Nila Mohanan on Saturday stated that one patient from Betim, who arrived at Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim in a critical condition has been placed on the ventilator at the Covid Hospital in Margao. The patient was in cardiac arrest when he was brought to GMC by two unknown persons. As he also suffered from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), the man was immediately tested for Covid-19 upon arrival and was found to be infected with coronavirus. This is the first instance of a patient being placed on ventilator support at the Covid Hospital. “The patient came to GMC in an already critical condition. He had suffered a heart attack and he was also a patient of COPD. So, his test was taken and it was reported positive. He is now on the ventilator at Covid Hospital,” she stated.  The health authorities are presently tracing the two persons who dropped off this patient and left immediately thereafter.  In addition to this, Mohanan informed that a security guard posted on duty at GMC has also tested positive for Covid-19 and that his Colva Residency is Covid care centre MARGAO: With no respite in the number of Covid cases, Goa Tourism Development Corporation-owned Colva Residency has become the latest Covid care centre for asymptomatic patients, even as the authorities in a surprise development dropped Sea Scan Maritime Foundation as Covid care centre. Saturday evening saw the South Goa district Collector notifying the entire premises along with the auditorium of government college of Arts, Science and Commerce, Quepem as Covid care centre to house asymptomatic positive patients.  >> See pg 2 Newborn tests -ve for Covid PANAJI: Health Secretary Nila Mohanan said that the baby girl delivered by a positive woman at the Covid Hospital on Friday, has tested negative. “The daughter is Covid-19 negative and has been shifted to GMC while the mother will remain at the Covid Hospital. Both are doing well,” she informed.  contacts are presently being traced. Referring to this unfortunate incident, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane took to social media platforms to state that the family members of the security guard have also been tested and placed under quarantine pending test reports.  5 more ESI staffers test positive MARGAO: Five more persons, two kitchen staffers and three residents of the ESI staff quarters tested positive for Coronavirus, even as the health services have undertaken massive testing of staff quarter residents, para-medics et al at the COVID hospital.  >> See pg 2 Meanwhile, the health department declared that a total of 60 new Covid-19 cases have been confirmed on Saturday, of which 26 are from the Mangor Hill containment zone, five are road and railway travellers and the rest are primary >Continued on P5 Scare in South Collectorate as +ve patient walks in to collect his Covid certificate THE GOAN I NETWORK Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday 4 panchayats declare lockdowns THE GOAN I NETWORK IN SHORT >> Low: High: 12 pages 9 Helping with home schooling Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday PANIC AND BEYOND „„The person who triggered the scare is a driver from Vasco „„Had tested negative sometime back „„Was supposed to join duty immediately; underquestions as to how a person, who underwent a test personally came to collect the certificate, thereby posing risks to officials and citizens alike. It is believed the incident occurred around 11 am when the person, a driver, from Vasco walked into the building goes another Covid test „„Comes to the Collectorate to collect the report thinking he can get it faster QUICK ACTION „„Authorities sanitise lifts, staircase and places inside the Administrative building with the purpose of collecting his certificate as he wanted to join duty immediately. However, when he came to the office of the Joint Mamlatdar, realization dawned that the person had tested positive, resulting in a scare. A district official told The Goan that Covid certificates are not issued by Mamlatdar office, but the certificates are mailed to the Collectorate to be forwarded to GEL for further information to the persons undergoing the tests. The official explained that in this particular case, the person, who is a driver by profession, working for the services, had tested negative sometime back. However, since he was supposed to join duty immediately, he underwent another Covid test. “Given that it may take some time for the authorities to upload his test report, the he personally came to the Collectorate building, without realizing that his test report had come positive this time round”, the official added. ON PAGE 5 VASCO MARKETS REOPEN AFTER 5-DAY SHUTDOWN TO GOOD RESPONSE MAPUSA COUNCIL CHOOSES TO DARE, OPENS VEGETABLE, FRUIT MARKET DESPITE RISE IN COVID CASES 10.30 am in Aldona. Similarly, the neighbouring Nachinola panchayat also convened an emergency meeting and decided on a seven-day lockdown (June 15-21) in the village, on account of a Covid case in Aldona. All shops, outlets, busi- ness houses, etc. will remain closed in Nachinola from June 15 to June 21, while only stores supplying essential commodities will be kept open from 8 am to 10 am during the seven-day lockdown period. In Tiswadi, the Merces panchayat decided to impose a six-day lockdown in the village from June 15 to June 20, in view of rising Covid cases in neighbouring Chimbel. During the lockdown, the grocery shops will be allowed to be open from 7 am to 1 pm and pharmacies will be open as usual, while fines will be imposed on people roaming in Merces village without masks. In Pernem, the Agarwada-Chopdem panchayat said a seven-day total lockdown >Continued on P5 Sattari containment zone fully sealed THE GOAN I NETWORK VALPOI Normal life and activity witnessed a sudden change at the Ghodemal containment zone in Morlem-Sattari, as the entire area was sealed off on Saturday and barricades were placed at all routes to the ward, while authorities and various agencies were stationed to oversee arrangements at the containment zone. Authorities swung into action as soon as the North Goa District Magistrate declared Ghodemal ward as a containment zone and Deulwada and Kasarwada wards as Buffer Zones in Sattari Taluka, as part of efforts to prevent the spread of Covid in adjoining areas. A detailed action plan has also been set up, including screening, testing of suspected cases, quarantining patients, isolation, social distancing and other public health measures in the containment zone.  >> See pg 3