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Saturday Apr 27, 2024
Monday, 11 January 2021 00:30 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
The total number of COVID-19 patients detected in the island surpassed 48,000 over the weekend, with over 1,000 persons testing positive.
According to the Department of Government Information, 540 persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday. The patients include 536 associates of the Peliyagoda COVID-19 cluster.
On Saturday, 535 patients tested positive for the virus, of which 148 were from Colombo, 111 were from Kandy, 64 were from Kegalle, and 59 were from Gampaha. Saturday’s patients include 517 associates of the Peliyagoda cluster and 18 persons linked to the Prisons cluster.
The triple cluster has thus expanded to 44,618 patients and the country’s total patient count is 48,380.
The Epidemiology Unit states that 6,826 persons are currently under medical care for COVID-19. This includes 453 persons at the Punani Treatment Centre, 409 persons at the Bingiriya Treatment Centre, 384 persons at the Gallela Treatment Centre, and 374 persons at the Giriulla Treatment Centre. Hospitals are also monitoring 603 persons suspected of having COVID-19.
The country’s COVID-19 recoveries rose to 41,325 over the weekend, with 76 persons from the Kandakadu Treatment Centre, 55 persons from the Dambadeniya Treatment Centre, and 46 persons from the Bingiriya Treatment Centre being discharged yesterday.
According to the Health Promotion Bureau, 1,376,607 PCR tests have been performed in the island to date. This includes 16,206 tests on Saturday.
Police Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana yesterday stated that 166 persons in the Western Province were subjected to testing on Saturday after failing to wear a face mask in public.
“Of the 166 persons, not a single person tested positive for COVID-19. We see this as a good trend,” he said, adding that a special operation to ensure establishments, organisations, and offices, whether public or private, adhere to safety guidelines will be launched today.
Safety guidelines establishments are required to comply with include providing hand washing facilities, constant temperature checks, and the maintenance of a log of persons entering the premises.
