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Monday, 9 November 2020 03:52 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
The Divulapitiya and Peliyagoda dual COVID-19 cluster yesterday exceeded 10,000 cases, with 510 contacts of the Peliyagoda COVID-19 cluster testing positive for the virus.
With yesterday’s cases, the total cluster count has reached 10,447 and the total number of confirmed cases identified in the island has increased to 13,929. The total count also includes 1,467 Sri Lankan returnees from abroad, 950 Navy personnel and their contacts, 651 persons connected to the Kandakadu cluster, and 102 foreigners.
According to the Epidemiology Unit, 5,609 persons are currently receiving treatment at various hospitals, including 433 persons at the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital, 377 persons at the Kandakadu Treatment Centre, 263 persons at the Kahawatte Treatment Centre, and 251 at the Punani Treatment Centre.
Hospitals are also monitoring 297 persons suspected of having COVID-19.
The COVID-19 death toll rose to 35 over the weekend, with four deaths on Saturday and one yesterday. The Department of Government Information yesterday stated that the autopsy of a 78-year-old individual who passed away during admission to hospital revealed he died of a heart attack caused by COVID-19.
The deaths of two residents of Maligawatte have been classified as COVID-19 related deaths. According to health authorities, one individual died at her place of residence and was 42-years-old. She had a long history of heart disease and the cause of death was COVID-19 with heart disease.
The second resident of Maligawatte passed away at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, where she was admitted due to worsening chronic diseases. The 69-year-old individual died of an exacerbation of pneumonia due to COVID-19.
A 67-year-old resident of Wellampitiya also died of an exacerbation of pneumonia due to COVID-19 and ran a fever for several days before passing away at home. He also suffered from a number of chronic diseases, health authorities said.
A close associate of a patient identified in Minuwangoda also passed away. He was 88-years-old and a resident of Ganemulla. He was receiving treatment for COVID-19 at Laggala Pallegama Hospital when his condition worsened. He was then transferred to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), where he passed away. His cause of death is COVID pneumonia and blood poisoning.
In addition to this, hospitals discharged 562 persons yesterday, of which 87 were from the Kahagolla Treatment Centre, 85 were from the Gallela Treatment Centre, and 83 were from the Punani Treatment Centre. Health authorities recently revised the COVID-19 treatment process implemented in the country, thus permitting asymptomatic patients to leave intermediate treatment centres after 14 days without a second PCR test.
The total number of COVID-19 recoveries in the island has now reached 8,285.
According to the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO), 63,784 persons have completed the quarantine process at centres to date. This includes 47 persons who left centres yesterday. A further 2,454 persons are currently undergoing quarantine at 30 centres, including 17 persons who arrived from Qatar yesterday. Authorities recently decided to direct contacts of infected persons to quarantine at home as opposed to undergoing the process at dedicated centres. Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera yesterday explained that when a person is directed for home quarantine, fellow residents will be required to undergo quarantine too.
In such an instance, the individual will be subjected to a PCR test at the end of the quarantine period. If they test negative, they, along with fellow residents, will not be required to undergo quarantine any further. However, if they test positive, the individual will be transferred to a treatment centre and fellow residents will be required to undergo quarantine.
The only exception for this is when the individual directed for quarantine is a COVID-19 patient discharged from a treatment centre or was released from a quarantine centre.
The Chief Epidemiologist added that persons undergoing home quarantine must maintain a distance of one metre from fellow residents and wear face masks when coming into contact with each other. If a separate bathroom cannot be used, the individual undergoing quarantine must use facilities after all other residents and thoroughly clean areas that people come into contact with, for instance, door handles.
Regarding lockdown imposed in select areas, Dr. Samaraweera said that by isolating areas, the authorities were hoping to completely restrict movement to contain the spread of the virus. “This does not mean that areas where quarantine curfew has been lifted are completely safe and that activities can resume as usual. This is not the case as COVID-19 patients are being identified from various parts of the island,” he explained.
Dr. Samaraweera went on to say that the public has a massive responsibility to adhere to safety guidelines as they may be asymptomatic and unaware of their condition, thus posing a risk to others. On the other hand, they may come into contact with patients and risk contracting the virus.
