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Thursday, 11 February 2021 02:09 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
A total of 955 persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the country’s total patient count to 72,174.
This is the second highest number of COVID-19 patients detected in a day, with the highest – 976 patients – detected on Tuesday.
Of the 955 persons, 940 were associates of the Peliyagoda COVID-19 cluster and 15 were linked to the Prisons cluster. The triple cluster that emerged from Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda and Prisons has thus expanded to 68,155.
While the majority of COVID-19 patients detected in the island have been linked to the triple cluster, Prof. Neelika Malavige, who is attached to the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Sri Jayewardenepura University, yesterday said the COVID-19 spread in the country is of the variant linked to the second wave, which began with the emergence of the Divulapitiya cluster.
“We subjected samples from Matale, Vavuniya, Gampaha, Avissawella, Ingiriya, Kalutara and so on for genetic testing, and data collected thus far shows that it is the same variant,” she said, adding that the variant is not as dangerous as the strains seen in countries like South Africa and Brazil.
However, the University is carrying out continuous testing for the identification of strains, she said.
According to the Epidemiology Unit, 72,174 persons have tested positive for COVID-19 to date, of which 1,947 are Sri Lankan returnees from abroad, 950 are Navy personnel and their contacts, 651 persons are linked to the Kandakadu cluster, and 150 are foreigners.
Of the total patient count, 25,362 were detected from Colombo District, 14,357 were detected from Gampaha District, 4,838 were detected from Kalutara District, 2,970 were detected from Kandy District, and 1,664 were detected from Galle District.
The district distribution includes the 976 persons who tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, of which 252 were from Colombo, 227 were from Gampaha, 150 were from Kandy, 87 were from Kalutara, and 49 were from Ratnapura.
The patients detected from Colombo include 39 persons from Colombo 8, 19 persons from Colombo 1, 19 persons from Colombo 5, and 19 persons from Colombo 15.
The Epidemiology Unit adds that 6,155 persons are currently under medical care, including 333 persons at the Giriulla Treatment Centre, 268 persons at the Kahawatte Treatment Centre, and 266 persons at the Panideniya Treatment Centre.
Hospitals are also observing 715 persons suspected of having COVID-19.
The country’s COVID-19 recoveries increased to 65,644, with 52 persons from the Giriulla Treatment Centre, 39 persons from the Punani Treatment Centre, and 35 persons from the Embilipitiya Treatment Centre among persons discharged yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Health Promotion Bureau yesterday stated that 1,847,913 PCR tests have been performed to date, including 16,493 tests on Tuesday.
The National Operations Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) yesterday stated that the 771-Bondupitiya Grama Niladhari Division in the Matugama Divisional Secretariat Division has been released from isolation.
