Monday May 20, 2024
Monday May 20, 2024
Saturday, 16 May 2020 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Asiri Fernando
In the backdrop of no new COVID-19 patients being reported yesterday the Government will continue enforcing public health regulations including a countrywide curfew that will come into effect at 8 p.m. tonight and last till Monday morning.
The Police yesterday called on heads of public and private institutions to cooperate with the authorities next week as they visit different premises countrywide to assess compliance of the health and safety regulations issued by respective health authorities.
“Those who do not assist the Police with their inquires or are found not to be in compliance with the health and safety regulations in affect will face legal action,” warned DIG Ajith Rohana, addressing the press at the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 (NOCPC) yesterday.
According to the Health Promotion Bureau, 36 infected patients recovered yesterday pushing the total to 477. Thereby Sri Lanka has recorded a recovery rate of 51.5% as of last evening, the global recovery rate is 36.6%.
As no new COVID-19 cases were reported yesterday, the total number of confirmed cases remain at 925. A total of 439 infected patients remain under treatment in seven specialised hospitals. A total of 112 persons suspected of being COVID-19 patients were being closely monitored by health authorities, the Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry reported. Nine patients have succumbed to the virus.
A total of 1,489 PCR tests were conducted on Thursday out of which 10 patients tested positive for COVID-19, Director General of Health Services, Dr. Anil Jasinghe said in press release.
A total of 479 Navy sailors have tested positive for the virus as of yesterday, Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva said at the NOCPC. The number brings the total of sailors and their contacts who tested positive for COVID-19 to 534. A total of 151 Sailors who were under treatment have been released from care and moved to post-care quarantine after being subjected to PCR tests for COVID-19, Lt. Gen. Silva added. An additional 328 navy personnel remain under treatment as of last evening.
A group of 411 persons were released from quarantine yesterday from six quarantine centres after being subjected to PCR tests for the virus. They were released from centres in Mulankavil, Punani, Palwehera, Oluvil and Vavuniya. The group included 56 family members of Navy personnel, who were moved into quarantine as a precautionary measure.
A total of 9,258 persons have completed quarantine in centres countrywide and have been sent home, the NOCPC said. A total of 2,568 remain in 36 centres, Lt. Gen. Silva added.
The Police Department has filed court action against 12,000 curfew violators and secured 5,400 prosecutions to date, DIG Rohana said, pointing out that some of the prosecuted had received jail sentences and some had been fined. A few have received both penalties.
According to DIG Rohana, a total of 115,000 person had been ordered into self-isolation from the date the first COVID-19 patient was detected in Sri Lanka. A total of 85,000 had completed the 14-day self- quarantine at home and 30,000 remain under quarantine orders.
“The State intelligence agencies will perform follow up checks on all those who finish quarantine and submit reports in the future,” DIG Rohana said. He urged the public to report illicit liquor and narcotics sales activities in their local areas. The police will launch special motorbike squads to hunt illicit liquor vendors this weekend.
