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Tuesday, 24 November 2020 01:29 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
The dual COVID-19 cluster that emerged from Divulapitiya and Peliyagoda expanded to 16,978 cases, with the detection of 337 patients yesterday.
According to the Department of Government Information, the 335 of the cases identified yesterday were associates of the Peliyagoda COVID-19 cluster.
A total of 20,508 COVID-19 infected persons have been identified in the country to date. In addition to the dual cluster, the total count includes 1,505 Sri Lankan returnees from abroad, 950 Navy personnel and their close contacts, 651 persons linked to the Kandakadu cluster and 110 foreigners.
Of the total count, 5,921 persons are currently under medical care at 55 treatment centres. This includes 731 persons at the Punani Treatment Centre, 389 persons at the Bingiriya Treatment Centre, 320 persons at the Neville Fernando Hospital and 314 persons at the Kandakadu Treatment Centre. Hospitals are also monitoring 462 persons suspected of having COVID-19.
According to Deputy Director General of Health Services, there are 2,428 hospital beds unoccupied. He added that only five of the 146 beds in 15 intensive care units (ICUs) are currently in use.
“The total number of patients has exceeded 20,000 and it is an important factor to consider today. We also know that this can be managed to some extent and an ability to flatten the number of epidemic patients identified is apparent,” he said. However, he added that it was difficult to give a definitive word on the situation yet, as this will be determined by the measures taken in the future and public cooperation.
Meanwhile, the Epidemiology Unit adds that 428 persons were discharged from various hospitals yesterday, including 64 persons from the Neville Fernando Hospital, 45 persons from the Dharga Town Treatment Centre, 41 persons from the Gallela Treatment Centre and 40 persons from the Punani Treatment Centre. This brings the country’s total COVID-19 recoveries to 14,497.
The Health Promotion Bureau stated that 747,638 PCR tests have been carried out in the island to date. This includes 10,679 tests carried out on Sunday.
According to the Epidemiology Unit, the district distribution of the total count shows 7,226 cases from the Colombo District, 5,391 from the Gampaha District and 776 from the Kalutara District, bringing the total number of cases identified from the Western Province to 13,393. In terms of other districts, 296 cases have been identified from Kandy, 288 from Kurunegala and 210 from Galle.
According to health authorities, 210 of the 400 cases identified on Sunday were from the Western Province. Of this, 136 were identified from the Colombo Municipal Area. Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera stated that several cases were identified from Gothatuwa in the Colombo District and Wattala and Negombo in the Gampaha District.
“We identified several patients through random testing carried out among fishing communities in Negombo,” Dr. Samaraweera said, adding that investigations are being carried out into the contacts of these patients, as well as how they were exposed to the virus. He went on to say that very few cases were identified outside the Western Province on Sunday and that the cases identified from other regions were connected to the Western Province and did not indicate a spread of COVID-19 in those areas.
“Movement restrictions were lifted in some areas yesterday. This was not done because it has been 100% confirmed there are no patients in these areas or because they have a clean certificate. However, the country must function and the measures were taken because the situation was at a manageable level,” Dr. Samaraweera said.
He explained that this does not mean the public can travel freely in areas where lockdown was yesterday relaxed or in any other areas. “This applies to the entire country and we should limit our travels, especially from the Western Province to other areas,” he added.
The Chief Epidemiologist also spoke about the recent increase in COVID-19 deaths, saying that while several COVID-19 deaths are confirmed at once, they do not necessarily occur on the same day. This especially applies to deaths that occur at home or during admission to hospitals, as well as among those undergoing quarantine.
In such instances, further testing and disposal of the body is carried out only after a PCR test is conducted. Thus, a COVID-19 death may be confirmed even three days after it occurs.
“The Registrar General’s office issued a circular to carry out a PCR test on all deaths that occur in the country, stating that the cause of death and method of disposing the body can only be issued following the PCR results,” the Chief Epidemiologist said, adding that from a medical science and epidemiology standpoint, it was apparent that this need not be applied to all deaths that occur in the country.
“As such, the Health Services Director General issued recommendations on situations when a PCR test should be carried out,” he said. As such, a PCR test will be carried out when a death occurs in a high risk area or quarantine centre or when a death occurs in a family undergoing quarantine.
In any other situation, the decision to carry out a test was within the discretion of the Medical Officer of Health.
He added that 80% of the COVID-19 deaths that occurred last week were of those above the age of 60 years and had chronic conditions like high blood pressure, kidney, heart disease and diabetes. Thus, these high risk groups must take precautions to not expose themselves to the virus and must also take their medications as prescribed, he explained.
While the Chief Epidemiologist explained that a mobile health service for the Colombo Municipal Area as well as a special ambulance service was introduced by the Health Ministry to provide the public with the required medical care, Family Health Bureau Director Dr. Chitramali de Silva yesterday said pregnant women feeling unwell or experiencing complications can access health services, even in areas currently under lockdown.
She added that while concerns have risen with the reopening of schools in most parts of the island, schools have been provided with a set of guidelines by the Education Ministry as issued by the Health Ministry.
“We have advised the Education Ministry against students or teachers from the Western Province travelling outside the Province to teach or study,” she said, adding that one must follow safety guidelines like hand hygiene, wearing face masks and social distancing, whether in the classroom or when travelling to and from school.
According to Police Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana, the Traffic Police will be monitoring public transport as well as other transport services used by students. “The purpose of this is not to go to courts or charge fines, but to correct persons if the children are not being transported in a safe manner,” he explained.
DIG Rohana added that drivers and assistants as well as parents have been advised to ensure the safety of children and adherence to safety guidelines. He added that 13 Police Jurisdictions in the Colombo District and five Police Jurisdictions in the Gampaha District remain under lockdown, while restrictions in select areas were lifted yesterday.
“We ask persons from other areas to restrict movement, making sure no clusters form and follow quarantine regulations. If no new clusters or patients emerge, we can relax isolation enforced on other areas in the coming days as well,” DIG Rohana added.
While restrictions are being gradually relaxed, a significant number of daily COVID-19 cases continue to be detected from the island and the total COVID-19 count crossed 20,000 over the weekend. This includes 682 detainees from prisons in the island and 43 prisons officers.
On Sunday, 81 officers attached to the Sri Lanka Police tested positive for COVID-19 and DIG Rohana yesterday said that some Special Task Force (STF) personnel attached to outer security for Members of Parliament and other such persons have been infected as well.
“Some STF personnel who provided such security have tested positive in three camps. They were directed to quarantine centres and infected persons among them were identified,” he said.
However, no infected persons have been detected among personal security officers of PSOs used for the protection of Members of Parliament yet.
Meanwhile, the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) yesterday stated that 4,501 persons are currently undergoing quarantine at 42 centres, which includes 297 persons from Kuwait, 25 persons from Qatar and two persons from Japan who returned to the island yesterday.
