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Saturday, 20 March 2021 00:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
A total of 322 persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the country’s total COVID-19 patient count to 89,497.
The patients detected yesterday include 290 associates of the Peliyagoda Cluster and eight persons linked to the Prisons Cluster. The triple clusters that emerged from Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda and prisons have risen to 84,942.
According to the Epidemiology Unit, 2,425 Sri Lankans from abroad, 950 Navy personnel and their contacts, 651 persons linked to the Kandakadu cluster, and 193 foreigners have also tested positive for COVID-19 in the island.
At present, 2,732 persons, including 142 persons at the Krishnapuram Treatment Centre, 128 persons at the Warakapola Base Hospital, and 120 persons at the Kopai Treatment Centre, are under medical care.
Hospitals are also monitoring 366 persons suspected of having COVID-19.
The Epidemiology Unit adds that 283 persons were discharged from hospitals yesterday. This includes 37 persons from the Kahawatte Treatment Centre, 29 persons from the Bingiriya Treatment Centre, and 24 persons from the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital.
The country’s total COVID-19 recoveries currently stand at 86,227.
On Thursday, 11,421 PCR tests were performed and 313 persons tested positive for COVID-19. Of the patients, 278 were associates of the Peliyagoda Cluster, 24 were linked to the Prisons Cluster, and 11 were overseas arrivals. The patients include 106 from Colombo, 66 from Gampaha, 29 from Matara, 16 from Kandy, and 12 from Vavuniya.
Of Colombo’s patients, 56 were detected in Battaramulla, six were detected in Nugegoda, and five were detected in Maharagama.
The Epidemiology Unit states that among the country’s total COVID-19 patient count is 29,155 persons from Colombo, 17,531 persons from Gampaha, 6,507 persons from Kalutara, 4,116 persons from Kandy, and 2,679 persons from Ratnapura.
Meanwhile, health authorities yesterday stated that safety recommendations for the forthcoming festive season will be issued in the coming days.
“The Sinhala and Tamil New Year season is approaching and, for this, we are going to stores and preparing to hold events. However, I request that the Sinhala and Tamil New Year is celebrated in accordance with safety guidelines this year as well,” Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena explained.
With regard to the COVID-19 immunisation program being carried out in the country, Primary Health Services, Pandemics and COVID Prevention State Minister Dr. Sudarshani Fernandopulle yesterday said sufficient vaccines have been set aside for the second dose of vaccination for persons who received the first dose on 29 January.
Despite the second dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine initially set to be administered after a four-week interval, changes were made globally as efficacy was shown to increase when the second dose was administered after 12 weeks. “Persons who received the first dose of vaccination on 29 January will receive the second dose on 29 April. However, today, the World Health Organization says there is massive competition from every country for vaccines and that it is better to give a single dose to more people than both doses to a few people,” she said, explaining that the reasoning behind this was because studies showed the spread of COVID-19 reduced by 67% after the first dose of vaccination.
However, health units are prepared to administer the second dose at the end of April and Dr. Fernandopulle said they were also expecting the second batch of 500,000 vaccines in the meantime.
