Goa casinos closed this weekend, India overwhelmed by the COVID crisis
Posted: May 1, 2021 02:47 a.m.
Last Updated: May 1, 2021 02:59 Hrs
Casinos in India's exclusive Goa resort area remain closed this weekend under a government lockdown order to curb the deadly spread of the coronavirus.
The country breaks records with the number of new COVID cases - 19. The disease across the country has led to widespread deaths, serious illnesses and massive oxygen shortages in healthcare settings.
Goa games have been closed since Friday. They can be reopened on Monday at the earliest.
In addition, Goa's bars, hotels, restaurants and various entertainment venues have been temporarily closed by the region's government, in a statement announced Wednesday India.com , the national news site, has reported.
Public transport is down this weekend, the report adds. Basic services and industry will remain open.
Goa saw 2,110 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday. Some 31 died Tuesday in Goa, the regional health department said. Goa has seen 1,086 deaths since the start of the CVOD epidemic as of earlier this week.
The nation reported over 400,000 new cases of the virus on Saturday. It is a world record.
Hospitals in India are unable to treat a large number of seriously ill patients. The government plans to increase the number of vaccines offered to the public. But there is a serious shortage of vaccines in India.
Less than 10 percent of the Indian population got a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday, according to Jerusalem Post .
Many people who died from COVID in India die due to delayed admission to hospitals, India .com he said.
On April 21, Goa introduced a curfew. Casinos could open at 50 percent capacity during the day.
However, the increased number of cases has led to stricter restrictions. Goa's health minister, Vishwajit Rane, also changed the treatment of likely COVID cases on Tuesday.
Hospitals were supposed to administer drugs to patients who have symptoms of the virus. They won't wait for the test results, he said India.com .
Among the Goa closed gaming sites are those operated by Delta Corp. It operates a ground based casino in Goa and a ground based casino in Sikkim. Delta also operates three water casinos in Goa.
Delta reported a net loss of $ 3.2 million during the fiscal year ending March.
India's Goa and Sikkim regions allow limited gambling. It is illegal in most countries.
Lockout was the last option
Earlier in April, Goa Prime Minister Pramod Sawant said, “[India] Prime Minister Narendra Modi said imposing a blockade should be the last option. Lockdown will not control the coronavirus.
"We have to impose some restrictions to control the situation," said Sawant in April.
"As the second wave (of the coronavirus) affects people under 50, everyone has to take the anti-COVID-19 vaccine after May 1 (when the disc opens every adult)," Sawant said last month.
From next week, both the United States and Australia will be restricting the number of passengers on flights departing from India. There are some exceptions.
The United States, Israel, Britain and other countries are trying to send additional health aid to India.
The number of cases can reach 500,000 a day in a few weeks in India, The Washington Post he said, citing health professionals.
Manila Casinos Shuttered, Too
In Manila, casinos are closed until at least May 14 due to the risk of a pandemic in the Philippines. Vehicles from neighboring states are prohibited.
Tourists must stay in their hotels, according to The India Wire the news site.
