No new COVID-19 patients reported over the weekend

• Welisara Navy base to be reopened for operations today; complex to be fully opened in stages 
• 26 who recovered from COVID-19 yesterday discharged
• 441 patients, including 5 foreign nationals, remain under treatment
• 773 sailors have recovered in total, 126 remain under treatment
• 594 repatriated from Australia, Madagascar and Maldives
• 3,756 remain in quarantine centres 

By Asiri Fernando

No individuals had tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, keeping the total number of confirmed cases at 1,950 over the weekend. Twenty-six infected patients recovered from the virus yesterday and were discharged, raising the total to 1,498. Of the 26, 14 were repatriated Sri Lankans and 12 were Navy sailors.  

According to the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health, 441 remain under care at 11 specialised hospitals as of last evening. So far, a total of 11 patients have succumbed to the virus. Twenty-four patients suspected to have COVID-19 symptoms are under observation of health authorities. 

Health Promotion Bureau data shows 827 PCR tests for COVID-19 had been carried out on Saturday. 

The Welisara Navy base, central to the Navy COVID-19 cluster, will reopen for operational needs today, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) said yesterday. According to the MOD, Director General – Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe recently granted permission to recommence the operations of the naval base. 

“The Navy will open the camp complex in Welisara in stages,” the Navy told the Daily FT. 

Of the 441 patients under treatment, 47 are being treated at the National Institute for Infectious Diseases (NIID). The Base Hospital Hambantota treats the highest number of patients at 98, with the Welikande Base Hospital treating 80 patients. The Kattankudy Base Hospital and the Teldeniya Base Hospital are treating 79 and 62 COVID-19 patients, respectively. 

A total of 773 infected Navy sailors have been discharged and moved in to post-treatment quarantine after recovering from COVID-19 as of yesterday evening, the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 (NOCPC) said. According to the Navy, all discharged sailors were subjected PCR tests for the virus prior to being moved to quarantine. 

Five hundred and ninety-four Sri Lankans were repatriated from Australia, Africa, Madagascar and the Maldives yesterday. They were repatriated on three different flights and were moved into quarantine centres after being subjected to COVID-19 PCR tests at the airport. Out of the 594, 50 were repatriated from Australia, 289 from African countries and Madagascar, and 255 from the Maldives. 

According to the NOCPC, a total of 15,553 persons have returned home after completing quarantine at centres managed by the military. Another 3,756 remain in quarantine at 39 centres around the island as of last evening.