Goa COVID-19 curfew extended for 8 more days till August 23: CM Pramod Sawant

Goa has extended the COVID-19 curfew by another week in view of the coronavirus situation.

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New Delhi: The Goa government on Sunday (August 15) extended the COVID-19 curfew by another week till August 23 in view of the COVID-19 situation. Earlier, the curfew was to remain in place till August 16.

Amid certain relaxations announced before, social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural gatherings, marriages and other congregations have been permitted while following strict coronavirus guidelines. 

Goa CM Pramod Sawant says state-level #COVID curfew has been extended for 8 days till August 23

(File photo) pic.twitter.com/Dfwegh5HCB — ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2021

Goa reported 88 new coronavirus cases, a health department official said on Saturday. With no new fatality, the death toll stood at 3,168. The caseload in Goa climbed to 1,72,431 and the recoveries reached 1,68,338. The state has 925 active cases, as per official data.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in his Independence Day speech on Sunday, claimed that Goa has become the first state in the country to administer one dose of COVID-19 vaccine to 90 per cent of its eligible population, PTI reported. 

“I am proud to announce that Goa has become the first state to cover 90 per cent of its population with the first dose,” he said at a state-level function in capital Panaji.

Acknowledging the efforts of frontline workers and COVID-19 warriors, he said the state fought the pandemic ably due to them, who were on the field during the outbreak of the infection. The BJP leader added, “The state government continued with all the social welfare schemes during the pandemic.”

On August 13, Goa Minister Michael Lobo asked tourists to abide by COVID-19 appropriate behaviour while visiting the state. He told ANI, "Tourists are visiting Goa with RT-PCR negative certificates. We welcome them but they've to wear masks and follow COVID-19 protocols. We`ve to be careful and understand that it`s a pandemic. Resorts have reopened but getting very few customers." 

Lobo added, "The whole country is suffering from Covid-19, we need to have patience, we are welcoming tourists to Goa with RT-PCR negative report or both doses of vaccination certificate and antigen test when they come to the state."

(With agency inputs)