Panaj, Jul 27 (IANS): Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Monday apologised for the deaths of 33 persons, including a 14-year-old girl, due to Covid-19 infection.

Rane however said that the Covid-19 mortality rate in Goa was still lower than what is prevalent in the rest of the country.

"We are sorry for the 33 deaths which have taken place," Rane told the one-day monsoon session of the state legislative assembly, adding that he "felt bad" particularly after the death of the 14-year-old girl on Saturday.

The Health Minister said that in all 1.21 lakh persons had been tested and the positive rate among those tested was 8.11 per cent. Goa has a population of 1.5 million.

"We have 4,686 positive cases recorded out of which 3,047 have recovered. So our recovery rate is as high as 65 per cent and Goa's mortality rate is 0.75 per cent which is lower than the national average," Rane said.

Rane also said that while the rate of infections in Goa has increased, the state cannot insulate itself from the global Covid scenario.

"I agree that the number of cases have increased, but Goa cannot insulate itself from what is happening in the country and the world," Rane said, on a day when the Opposition staged a walkout accusing the state government of mismanaging the Covid-19 crisis.