57 new COVID-19 cases emerge

Thursday, 9 July 2020 16:25 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Health authorities today announced the discovery of 57 new positive cases of COVID-19.

They said that 56 of the new patients were those undergoing treatment at the Kandakadu Drug Rehabilitation Centre. This was discovered after authorities decided to test 450 inmates in the centre, as the latest COVID-19 patient who emerged from the Welikada Prison on Tuesday was found to have been in the Drug Rehabilitation Centre for three months.

Separately, a staffer attached to the rehabilitation centre and living in Marawila has been diagnosed with COVID-19 as well.

Health authorities are continuing to carry out further PCR tests and quarantine procedures.

With this latest discovery, Sri Lanka's cumulative number of COVID-19 cases totals 2,150.