PANAJI: Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Wednesday said the health department had increased the bed capacity at its designated COVID-19 hospital in view of the rise in cases of novel coronavirus.
Goa has witnessed a sudden spurt in COVID-19 cases, with 41 people testing positive in the state till Wednesday morning.
The bed capacity of ESI Hospital was increased from 60 to 170, with a back-up of another 30 beds, the minister said.
"I would like to congratulate Dr Ira Almeida, medical superintendent of Hospicio Hospital, director of Health Services Dr Jose D'Sa, dean of Goa Medical College Dr Shivanand Bandekar and secretary health Nila Mohanan for increasing the bed capacity overnight," he said in a statement.
The hospital also had a back-up facility of another 30 beds, which can take the capacity to 200, if needed, he added.
The ESI Hospital in Margao town is Goa's designated COVID-19 facility, where 41 patients were currently undergoing treatment.
Earlier today, an Indian Coast Guard officer and a female have tested positive for coronavirus in Goa, taking the tally of active COVID-19 cases in the state to 41, a health department official said on Wednesday.
The Coast Guard officer was part of an 11-member team that came to Goa from Mumbai, he said.
Tests conducted on 10 other members of the team came out negative, but they are quarantined, he said.
Besides, samples of a female who travelled to Goa from Pune came out positive in TrueNat (rapid) test, he said, adding that her repeat sample has been sent for confirmation at the virology lab of the state-run Goa Medical College.
She travelled to Goa with 21 other people, who tested negative and are currently kept at a quarantine facility, he said.
Till Tuesday evening, the state reported 39 active COVID-19 cases.
With two new cases, the tally has now gone up to 41.
No death has been reported so far due to the disease.
Goa has so far tested 9,549 samples, the official said.
The state was declared a green zone on May 1, after all the seven COVID-19 patients previously found recovered.
However, the coastal state has witnessed a rise in the number of cases over the last few days.