Panaji, May 14 (IANS): After remaining Corona-free for over a month, Goa has seven new Covid-19 cases, state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane confirmed on Thursday. They include five of a family who returned from Maharashtra.

All seven were shifted to the designated Covid-19 hospital in Ponda, after confirmatory tests conducted late on Wednedsday returned positive, he said.

Besides the five family members, their driver and a truck driver from Gujarat are also corona positive. All of them had tested positive in a repliminary rapid test for Covid-19 on Wednesday as soon as they had driven into Goa.

Screenings and swab tests are mandatory for all persons coming into Goa in wake of the pandemic.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said that all the seven cases were "imported" and there was no fear of community transmission in Goa.

Goa had recorded seven Covid-19 positive cases, all of which were treated and later tested negative. The state had seen no new cases since the first week of April.

With the fresh spate of cases, the state may lose its green zone status, which is accorded by the central government for regions with no active Covid case.