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Friday Apr 19, 2024
Wednesday, 16 September 2020 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Nine persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the island to 3,271.
The Epidemiology Unit stated that the imported COVID-19 cases consist of 1,297 Sri Lankan returnees and 53 foreigners. This includes 24 Sri Lankan returnees and five foreigners who tested positive on Monday.
In addition to the imported cases, 950 Navy personnel and their close contacts and 650 persons connected to the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre have tested positive in the island.
According to the Sri Lanka Army, the Kandakadu cluster includes 528 detainees, 67 staff members, 48 family members and close associates, and five guest staffers.
There are also 242 COVID-19 patients currently receiving treatment in the country, including 93 at the Welikanda Base Hospital, 81 at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), 42 at the Iranawila Hospital, 15 at the Hambantota District General Hospital, and three at the Colombo East Base Hospital.
The Epidemiology Unit adds that 70 persons suspected of having COVID-19 are being monitored at various hospitals, of which 25 are at the Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) Hospital and 11 at the Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital.
Eleven persons were also discharged during the 24-hour period ending at 10 a.m. yesterday having recovered from COVID-19. According to the Epidemiology Unit, six persons were discharged from the Welikanda Base Hospital, three persons were discharged from the NIID, and two persons were discharged from the Iranawila Hospital.
A total of 3,016 persons have recovered in the island thus far and the Health Promotion Bureau calculates the country’s recovery rate as 92.35%. With 13 COVID-19-related deaths recorded in the island, the fatality rate is 0.4%.
The Health Promotion Bureau added that 257,477 PCR tests have been performed in the island thus far, including 1,434 on Monday.
The Sri Lanka Army, in a statement issued yesterday, said that 41,113 persons have left quarantine centres in the country having completed the process. This includes nine persons who left the Boossa Quarantine Centre and two persons who left the Rajagiriya Ayurveda Quarantine Centre yesterday.
A further 6,142 persons are currently undergoing quarantine at 60 centres managed by the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy, and Sri Lanka Air Force.
In addition to this, 26 persons from Qatar and five persons from Abu Dhabi arrived in the island yesterday and have been directed to quarantine centres.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry yesterday stated that the Towards a New Normal promotional program was launched by the Ministry on Monday. According to the Ministry’s statement, the Itukama COVID-19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund is to provide the primary financial support for the program.
Technical support for the project will be provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA).
“No community cases have been detected in the last 100 days and for this to continue, the public must get used to a new lifestyle. The purpose of this program is to remind the public that we prevented the spread of COVID-19 in the community with adherence to health sector guidelines and that continued compliance is necessary if we are to continue this way,” Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi stated at the event. (SWA)
