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Sunday Dec 15, 2024
Thursday, 18 November 2021 01:30 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 detections rose to 553,722 with 728 persons testing positive for COVID-19 yesterday.
While concerns have been raised about COVID-19 spread following the protest held by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) in Colombo on Tuesday, health officials state that all efforts are being made to prevent an increase in COVID-19 cases.
“The repercussions of what took place [on Tuesday] will be seen in 10 to 15 days. We will not wait until these results and, as the health sector, we will do everything necessary to prevent an increase even in ten days,” Deputy Director of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath said.
He went on to say that if an increase in COVID-19 patients is not seen as a result of the protest, it would be due to the efforts of health workers. Dr. Herath went on to urge the public to avoid any gatherings, whether political or religious, as approval cannot be given for gatherings of any type during a pandemic.
Meanwhile, College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka President Dr. Lakshmi Somathunga said the public must always be aware of the risk they face in terms of COVID-19 spread.
“In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no zero risk when it comes to gatherings, especially events that bring groups of people together. Regardless of the size of the event, you are at risk of COVID-19 whenever you get together with people,” she said.
“We must go forward taking every precaution not to transmit this disease.”
The patients detected yesterday were from the New Year cluster.
On Tuesday, 720 persons from the New Year cluster tested positive for COVID-19 and the Health Promotion Bureau states that 5,307 PCR tests and 2,966 rapid antigen tests were conducted that day.
A total of 448,888 patients have been detected from the New Year cluster, 82,785 patients from the Peliyagoda cluster, 9,053 patients from the Prisons cluster, and 3,059 patients from the Divulapitiya cluster.
The country’s imported cases include 6,967 Sri Lankans and 328 foreigners.
The country’s COVID-19 detections include 114,131 persons from Colombo, 97,123 persons from Gampaha, 52,514 persons from Kalutara, 34,585 persons from Galle, and 26,823 persons from Kurunegala. During the third wave of the pandemic, 81,834 persons from Colombo, 78,589 persons from Gampaha, and 45,456 persons from Kalutara tested positive for COVID-19
The Epidemiology Unit states that 448 persons were released from care yesterday, raising the country’s COVID-19 recoveries to 525,188.
At present, 14,477 persons are under medical or home-based care and 2,662 persons suspected of having COVID-19 are under observation.
According to Dr. Herath, the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) and other specialist bodies are currently reviewing data on the molnupiravir antiviral pill for COVID-19 and recommendations will be issued accordingly.
