Friday Apr 26, 2024
Friday Apr 26, 2024
Thursday, 16 April 2020 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Five new cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in Sri Lanka yesterday, bringing the total number of cases to 238 and active cases to 168. Four of the five cases were identified at quarantine centres, with two cases identified at the Palaly quarantine centre.
A total of 144 suspected cases remained under observation in hospital, and the number of recoveries rose to 63.
While steps are being taken to identify and isolate those who have come into contact with COVID-19 patients, according to the Epidemiology Unit, 90 of the total confirmed COVID-19 persons in Sri Lanka were identified at quarantine centres, and this includes 28 returnees from the Kandakadu quarantine centre, 16 from the Batticaloa Brandix quarantine centre, 15 from the Zahira College quarantine centre, and 14 from the Palaly quarantine centre.
On a district level, the distribution of confirmed cases shows 47 from the Colombo District, 45 from Kalutara, and 35 from Puttalam, according to yesterday’s 10 a.m. situation report by the Epidemiology Unit.
Two patients also recovered in Sri Lanka yesterday, and the total recoveries in the country number 63. According to the Health Promotion Bureau, Sri Lanka has a 26.58% percent recovery rate and a 2.95% fatality rate. The number of COVID-19 deaths in the country is seven.
The Epidemiology Unit also states that 144 persons are currently hospitalised over COVID-19 suspicions, including 32 at the Sri Jayewardenepura Teaching Hospital, 19 at the Welikanda Base Hospital, and 17 at the Ragama Teaching Hospital.
The Police Media Division yesterday issued a statement that two Sri Lanka Navy buses transporting persons near the Warakapola Post Office to Sampur had met with an accident with a lorry travelling in the opposite direction at 4.50 p.m. yesterday. Twenty-nine injured persons, including three Navy personnel, were admitted to the Warakapola Hospital, but the driver of the lorry passed away.
The Sri Lanka Police has continued its efforts to ensure curfew regulations are adhered to and social distancing is maintained. Since curfew was imposed, the Police has arrested 28,441 persons for violating curfew regulations and confiscated 7,194 vehicles.
An allowance of Rs. 5,000 is to be made to a number of persons including pre-school teachers, provincial journalists, private bus drivers and conductors, and small tea estate owners from 20 to 22 April, the Government announced yesterday.
According to Health and Indigenous Medical Services Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, the Rs. 5,000 allowance will be provided to selected persons in a number of industries.
“Pre-school teachers, small tea estate owners affected by drought and the COVID-19 situation, provincial journalists, handloom and textile industry workers, those who have qualified to receive maintenance from courts, private bus drivers and conductors, and Ayurveda doctors have requested an allowance from the Task Force on Essential Services through central government or provincial councils,” she said, addressing the press today.
Wanniarachchi explained that taking these requests into consideration, the Government had decided to provide an allowance to these sectors, as well as those in the construction sector like brick, sand, and raw material providers, and those involved in carpentry, masonry, plumbing, electrical work, and painting.
Those in small-scale sweetmeat, coir, carpet, batik, and metal industries will also benefit from this welfare program, as will hairdressers, tailors, barbers, three-wheeler drivers, and small-scale vendors. The selected groups also include those who provide festival items and motorcycle and three-wheeler maintenance services.
In order to receive the allowance, those in the selected categories can obtain a request form from rural committees which will be in various rural areas on 17 and 18 April and submit the completed forms to these committee. The allowance will be provided by Samurdhi officers to those who qualify for it on 20 to 22 April.
In addition to this, a Rs. 5,000 allowance has been provided for over 600,000 persons above 70 years of age, including 574,387 already in the elderly persons allowance registry and 61,615 persons approved by the rural committees, a statement issued by the Health and Indigenous Medical Services Ministry said.
A disability allowance of the same amount has also been provided to 109,494 persons already in the registry as well as an additional 14,195 persons approved by rural committees. The program also includes an allowance for 38,747 kidney patients in the relevant registry and 5,884 persons approved by the rural committees.
Department of Information Director General Nalaka Kaluwewa explained that this allowance program was one of the two key programs launched by the Task Force for Essential Services. The other is the purchase of agricultural produce from farmers who are unable to sell their harvest due to the restrictions put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
“The first phase of this program took place successfully on 11 and 12 April with purchases from Nuwara Eliya, Dambulla, and Anuradhapura Districts,” Kaluwewa said, adding that one million kilos of vegetables were purchased. The second phase of the project was launched yesterday and will take place today as well in the Ratnapura and Hambantota Districts.
In addition to these programs aimed at providing relief to those facing difficulties due to the current situation in the country, the Government is exploring the possibility of resuming day-to-day economic activities at provincial levels to safeguard the economy of the country.
