12 new COVID-19 patients

Friday, 3 July 2020 00:15 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

With latest cases, cumulative total reaches 2066
HPB says no patients recovered yesterday, 228 remain in care
Sixty return home from quarantine, 5,946 remain in 50 centres
Eighty-nine repatriated from Mali, Qatar and Dubai yesterday
More expected from Vietnam, Korea, Qatar and Japan

By Asiri Fernando

Twelve persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, raising the total number of confirmed cases at 2066, as the Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi downplayed concerns raised by the Opposition about the Government’s preparedness to face a possible second wave of the virus.

The National Operations Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 (NOCPOC) said that 79 persons have recovered from the virus and been discharged. The 79 include 73 repatriated persons and 6 Sailors recovered from COVID-19. However, the Health Promotion Bureau did not report the release of patients who recovered from the virus, keeping total recoveries at 1827.

According to the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health, 228 patients, including 2 foreign nationals, remain under care at 11 specialised hospitals as of last evening. 11 patients have succumbed to the virus. Fifty-eight patients suspected to have COVID-19 symptoms are under observation of health authorities, the Health Promotion Bureau said.

Of the 228 patients under treatment, 26 including four foreign nationals are being treated at the National Institute for Infectious Diseases (NIID). The Welikanda Base Hospital treats the highest number of patients - 73, with the Kattankudy Base Hospital and the Minuwangoda Base Hospital each treating 32 and 23 COVID-19 patients respectively.

Sixty persons were released from quarantine yesterday, after they tested negative for COVID-19 in PCR tests and completed the mandated quarantine program, NOCPOC said. 5,946 persons remain in quarantine in 50 centres managed by the military. 17,635 persons have completed the quarantine program and returned home from centres across the Island thus far.

Eighty-nine Sri Lankans were repatriated from Qatar and Mali and Dubai yesterday on three Sri Lankan Airlines flights, and were moved into quarantine after being subjected to PCR tests for COVID-19. More Sri Lankans were expected to arrive in the island from Japan, Qatar, Vietnam and Korea early this morning.