2,976 more test positive for COVID-19

• COVID-19 detections rise to 205,333, over 103,000 linked to New Year cluster
• 107,686 detections from Western Province
• All cases detected yesterday linked to New Year cluster
• 36,333 persons under medical care
• PHI Union calls for quarantine curfew, says travel restrictions not effective

 

By Shailendree 

Wickrama Adittiya

The country’s total COVID-19 patient count crossed the 200,000 mark over the weekend with 2,976 patients detected yesterday – all linked to the New Year cluster – and 3,103 patients detected on Saturday.

Since the onset of the pandemic early last year, 205,333 persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Sri Lanka.

On Saturday, 2,854 persons linked to the New Year cluster, 240 persons linked to the Prisons cluster, and nine Sri Lankan returnees from abroad tested positive for the virus.

This, along with yesterday’s detections, brings the cumulative total of the Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda, Prisons and New Year clusters to 198,654.

Of the four clusters, the largest is the New Year cluster, which had a patient count of 103,479 at 10 a.m. yesterday. The other active cluster is the Prisons cluster, which had a patient count of 6,355. The Peliyagoda cluster has 82,785 patients linked to it and the Divulapitiya cluster has 3,059 patients linked to it.

The country’s total patient count also includes 4,447 Sri Lankan returnees from abroad and 318 foreigners.

The district distribution of the country’s COVID-19 detections shows 51,532 persons from Colombo, 34,727 persons from Gampaha, 21,609 persons from Kalutara, 10,577 persons from Kandy, and 10,180 persons from Kurunegala.

Of the patients detected on Saturday, 828 were from Colombo, 544 were from Gampaha, 255 were from Kurunegala, 224 were from Matara, and 140 were from Kalutara.

According to the Health Promotion Bureau, 19,539 PCR tests were performed on Saturday and 20,403 PCR tests were performed on Sunday.

At present, 36,333 persons are under medical care and 1,453 suspected patients are under observation. The active cases include 525 persons at the Bingiriya Treatment Centre, 514 persons at the Punani Treatment Centre, and 500 persons at the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital.

The Epidemiology Unit states that 1,172 persons were discharged from hospitals yesterday. This includes 158 persons form the Gallela Treatment Centre, 59 persons from the Kadaikau ICC, and 49 persons from the Dambadeniya Treatment Centre.

The country’s COVID-19 recoveries have risen to 167,304.

Questions have been raised over the impact of travel restrictions given that daily COVID-19 detections have remained above 2,000 since 9 May. According to Public Health Inspectors’ Union (PHIU) President Upul Rohana, what is required is a quarantine curfew, which was imposed during previous waves of the pandemic.

“As of today, most businesses have been declared essential services in most areas, all staff are being brought in, and a large crowd is on the road. In such a situation, we cannot expect a drop in patients by next week,” he said.