Saturday Dec 14, 2024
Saturday Dec 14, 2024
Saturday, 18 July 2020 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Ten persons, including a 12-year-old child, tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 2,697 as health authorities expressed confidence that the Kandakadu Rehabilitation Centre cluster was being brought under control.
Among those infected yesterday, a female Sergeant from the Nugegoda Division 4 Police in Homagama had tested positive, and a total of 41 Police personnel (30 in the ASP office and 11 from the Homagama Police station) have been sent to quarantine centres.
13 persons, including five recent returnees tested positive for the virus on Wednesday. 99 patients suspected to have COVID-19 symptoms are being monitored by health authorities, the Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry reported. According to the unit, 666 infected patients remain under care. There were no reports of patients recovering yesterday, keeping the total number of those who had recovered to 2012. A total of 11 people have succumbed to the virus.
According to Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe out of 139 persons from Rajangaya who were subjected to PCR tests, one 12-year-old child had returned a positive result. Dr. Jasinghe said that PCR testing has been increased with random testing done in several parts of the country. In Colombo Municipality limits, of the 174 PCR tests conducted yesterday, no positive cases were found, Dr. Jasinghe said.
“Given the test results we can see that the Kandakadu cluster is coming under control,” Dr. Jasinghe said, urging the public to adhere to public health guidelines in place to control the spread of COVID-19.
The apex health regulator’s comments came in the wake of the Public Health Inspectors Union of Sri Lanka (PHIUSL) resorting to trade union action and withdrawing from COVID-19 control duties, citing lack of legal cover for their work in the anticipated election guidelines to control COVID-19 Gazette. The Government has downplayed concern raised by the Opposition about the Government’s preparedness to face a possible second wave of the virus.
According to the Epidemiology Unit, 666 patients, including two foreign nationals remain under care at 10 specialised hospitals as of last evening. Of the 666 patients under treatment, 67 including two foreign nationals are being treated at the National Institute for Infectious Diseases (NIID).
The Kandakadu treatment centre treats the highest number of patients, with 355 in care, Welikanda Base Hospital treats 88, with the Kattankudy Base Hospital and the Army Hospital in Panagoda each treating 50 and 62 COVID-19 patients respectively. 12 persons were released from quarantine yesterday after they tested negative and completed the mandated quarantine program the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 (NOCPC) said. A total of 7,060 persons remain in quarantine in 59 centres managed by the military. A total of 22,904 persons have completed the quarantine program and returned home from centres across the island thus far.
12 Sri Lankans were repatriated from Qatar and Japan yesterday on two SriLankan Airlines flights and were moved in to quarantine after being subjected to PCR tests.
