Efforts on to locate 602 people who came to Goa from UK, UAE

In the wake of detection of a new COVID-19 variant in the UK, Goa health authorities are trying to track down 602 people who arrived in the state from Britain and the UAE since December 9, an official said on Thursday.

The maximum number of people who have arrived from these two places are expected to be in Cansualim area of South Goa district, predominantly a beach destination, he said.

A list of 602 people has been prepared after going through arrivals from the UK and the UAE since December 9, the official from the Directorate of Health Services said. This includes 91 people in Cansaulim, 57 in its neigbbouring Cortalim area in South Goa, 48 in North Goa's Corlim area which also includes Old Goa, and 47 in Chimbel, Ribandar and parts of Panaji in North Goa district, he said.

The authorities are also trying to locate 41 people in Candolim area, which includes places like Calangute, Baga and other tourist destinations, and another 28 in the capital city Panaji and its adjoining areas. The state machinery has also been asked to locate people who arrived from these two countries and are living in Loutolim Curtorim, Navelim, Quepem, Vasco, Chinchinim, Balli, Canacona, Curchorem, Sanguem (all in South Goa), and Aldona, Mapusa, Siolim, Porvorim, Shiroda, Dharbandora, Ponda, Cansarvanem and Colvale (North Goa), the official said.

Goa on Wednesday reported 125 new coronavirus cases, taking the count of infections in the state to 50,364. The state has so far reported 727 deaths due to the disease, as per official figures.