With the number of active Covid-19 cases in Goa crossing the 1,000-mark on Sunday, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said that the people should remain careful and vigilant.

After 18 people tested positive in Matruchaya, an orphanage for girls in Ponda, the Collector and District Magistrate of South Goa, Ruchika Katyal, in an order, declared the building a micro-containment zone. The order stated that of the 45 students and 17 staff members tested until March 20, a total of 18 have tested positive. The building will remain a micro-containment zone until all those who tested positive recover from the infection.

In view of the rising cases in other states, we need to be careful & vigilant.
We have made testing accessible to all the citizens & are working on keeping Covid in control. All we need from the citizens of Goa and those coming to the state, is their support in ensuring the same.

— VishwajitRane (@visrane) March 21, 2021

On Sunday, there were 1,013 active cases in Goa with three health centres – Panaji, Margao and Ponda — recording over 100 positive cases each. The state had 775 active cases on March 15.

Goa has not imposed any restrictions on entry of tourists or mandated compulsory testing at the airport. The state, which is heavily dependent on tourism, however, has appealed to residents and tourists to mandatorily follow Covid-19 safety protocols.

“Wearing of masks is mandatory and social distancing is a must. Failing to do so, health authorities will take strict action,” Rane said in a tweet.

In another tweet, he wrote, “The government will also be taking a strict view on the functioning of restaurants, hotels & any place considered as an entertainment zone, to ensure that all the people coming there are following strict protocols laid by state govt.”

He also urged tourists to adhere to SOPs of the government and warned of strict action against those flouting norms.