The country’s COVID-19 death toll yesterday crossed the 200 mark, with health authorities confirming five COVID-19-deaths.

According to a statement issued by the Department of Government Information, two deaths occurred yesterday, two occurred the previous day, and one occurred on 28 December.

Yesterday’s deaths include a 59-year-old resident of Homagama who died of COVID pneumonia with acute lung infection. The individual died while receiving treatment at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), where he was transferred to after testing positive for COVID-19 at the Ambanpola District Hospital.

A resident of Colombo 5 also died yesterday. According to health authorities, the individual was 61 years old and was transferred to the NIID after testing positive for COVID-19 at the Kotelawala Defence University Hospital. She died of lung infection and COVID pneumonia. An individual from Galewela died on 30 December while being admitted to the Galewela District Hospital. The 46-year-old man died of COVID-19 with diabetes complications.

Health authorities stated that a 75-year-old individual from Palmadulle died of COVID-19, blood poisoning, and lung infection while being treated at the Ratnapura Teaching Hospital on 30 December.

An individual from Darga Town died on 28 December while receiving treatment at the Kalutara Base Hospital. The 72-year-old man died of blood poisoning caused by an exacerbation of diabetes and COVID-19.

The five deaths bring the total COVID-19 death count to 204. While 86 COVID-19 deaths occurred in December alone, 191 deaths occurred since the emergence of the Divulapitiya COVID-19 cluster on 4 October.

Total COVID-19 patient count rises to 43,299