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Thursday, 10 December 2020 01:59 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
The COVID-19 clusters that emerged from Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda, and prisons exceeded 26,000 cases yesterday with the detection of 694 patients.
According to the Department of Government Information, 651 of yesterday’s patients are associates of the Peliyagoda COVID-19 cluster, while 43 are linked to the prisons cluster. The triple clusters have now reached 26,516 patients.
In addition to the above clusters, 1,524 Sri Lankan returnees from overseas, 950 Navy personnel and their contacts, 651 persons linked to the Kandakadu cluster, and 119 foreigners have also tested positive for the virus.
The total number of COVID-19 patients detected in the island to date is 30,071, of which 8,128 persons are currently under medical care. According to the Epidemiology Unit, the active patients include 470 persons at the Kandakadu Treatment Centre, 415 persons at the Bingiriya Treatment Centre, and 411 persons at the Punani Treatment Centre.
Hospitals are also monitoring 584 persons suspected of having COVID-19.
The Epidemiology Unit added that hospitals discharged 542 persons yesterday, including 78 persons from the Bingiriya Treatment Centre, 62 persons from the Punani Treatment Centre, and 44 persons from the Padiyathalawa District Hospital.
The total COVID-19 recoveries in the island currently stands at 21,800.
The Epidemiology Unit adds that 19,977 COVID-19 patients have been identified from the Western Province alone. This includes 11,883 patients from Colombo District, of which 9,082 were identified from the Colombo Municipal Council area since 4 October.
The Epidemiology Unit’s patient distribution published on 7 December also shows 255 patients from Kolonnawa, 148 from Hanwella/Avissawella, and 136 from Kaduwela. A total of 19 areas are classified as high-risk areas as COVID-19 patients have been identified from these areas in the past two weeks.
In the Gampaha District, 740 patients have been identified from Minuwangoda since 4 October, along with 699 from Mahara and 601 from Kelaniya. A total of 6,737 patients have been detected in the district to date.
While 1,357 persons from the Kalutara District have tested positive for COVID-19 to date, the Epidemiology Unit states that 400 patients from Bandaragama, 140 patients from the Kalutara National Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS), and 129 patients from Panadura have been detected since 4 October.
The highest number of patients detected beyond the Western Province is from the Kandy District, where 738 persons have tested positive for COVID-19. Due to the increase in patients emerging from Kandy, movement restrictions have been imposed in Mahaiyawa, in addition to Bogambara, Bulugahathenna and Thelambugahawatta Grama Niladhari Divisions, which are currently isolated.
Forty patients were detected from Kandy District on Wednesday. The majority of yesterday’s patients were detected from Colombo, however, with 526 persons testing positive. Colombo’s cases include 175 persons from the Welikada Prison, 89 from Mattakkuliya, 85 from Slave Island, and 74 from Maradana.
Of the 798 patients identified yesterday, 97 were from Gampaha and 53 were from Kalutara. Gampaha’s cases include 55 persons from the Mahara Prison. While 129 COVID-19 deaths have occurred since 4 October, when the Divulapitiya COVID-19 cluster emerged, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera yesterday said the 20-day-old infant who passed away at Lady Ridgeway Hospital died of COVID pneumonia. He added that the infant was in a critical condition when brought to the hospital. “We have received reports of persons avoiding coming to hospital because they are afraid they will contract COVID-19 in the hospital. However, there is no need for such unnecessary fear,” he said, adding that any person who suffers from illness or notices a change in their condition should seek medical care.
At present, 39 functional COVID-19 hospitals and 23 intermediary treatment centres are being used for patient management in the country.
A statement issued yesterday by the Sri Lanka Army said the possibility of setting up dedicated treatment centres for patients detected from prisons was considered at the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) meeting held on 8 December.
According to the statement, NOCPCO Head Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva had informed participants that several treatment centres with security provided by the Sri Lanka Army would be set up in Jaffna, Kandakadu, and Gallela to treat patients identified from prisons.
In a separate statement issued yesterday, the Sri Lanka Army stated that 158 persons from Saudi Arabia, 48 persons from Qatar, 42 persons from Dubai, and 41 persons from Maldives arrived in the island yesterday morning and that 269 arrivals from India, Maldives, Bangladesh, Singapore, Malaysia, and China were expected later in the day. All overseas arrivals have been directed to quarantine centres. According to the NOCPCO, 6,594 persons are currently undergoing the process at 62 centres.
Meanwhile, the Health Promotion Bureau states that 941,468 PCR tests have been carried out to date, including 12,545 tests on Tuesday.
