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Saturday, 28 August 2021 01:51 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
With no signs of COVID pandemic abating, the Government yesterday extended the quarantine curfew until 6 September as a record 1,188 deaths and 34,504 new cases emerged in the past lockdown week.
The detections do not include the 4,808 delayed cases added to the total count on 20 August and the 4,484 delayed cases added to the count on 25 August.
Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 death toll increased by 1,188 in a seven-day period, with a total of 8,371 COVID-19 fatalities confirmed to date.
The death toll crossed the 7,000 mark last Friday (20), with 198 COVID-19 deaths confirmed on the day raising the total to 7,183. Over 200 COVID-19 deaths were confirmed for the first time in a day on Wednesday, with the Director-General of Health Services confirming 209 deaths.
On Thursday, the highest ever death toll of 214 was confirmed.
On 1 August, the country’s COVID-19 death toll was 4,571, with 63 COVID-19 deaths confirmed that day. A total of 3,800 COVID-19 fatalities have been confirmed in August.
Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 detections have increased by 105,612 since 1 August, with a total of 416,961 COVID-19 cases detected to date. On 1 August, the country’s total detections stood at 311,349 and 2,510 persons tested positive for COVID-19 that day.
On 20 August, the total patient count was 381,812, with 3,839 persons testing positive for COVID-19 last Friday and 4,808 delayed cases added to the total count.
However, last night, the total COVID-19 detections stood at 416,961, with 4,591 patients detected during the day.
While 34,504 COVID-19 patients have been detected since last Friday, a total of 105,612 COVID-19 patients have been detected in August.
On 1 August, 27,998 persons were under medical care. The number of active patients had increased to 51,437 on 20 August and currently stands at 55,399.
A total of 353,191 persons have recovered from COVID-19 to date and the Epidemiology Unit states that 2,122 persons were released from treatment centres yesterday. On 1 August, the total number of COVID-19 recoveries was 278,910. This number had increased to 320,810 by 20 August.
The increasing number of COVID-19 detections as well as fatalities have pushed the Government to extend the quarantine curfew, which came into effect on 20 August, until 6 September.
According to National Operations Centre for the Prevention of the COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) Head Gen. Shavendra Silva, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had given instructions to extend quarantine curfew at the COVID-19 Task Force meeting held yesterday.
He added that essential services as well as export, agriculture and all other sectors currently permitted to operate will be allowed to operate during the extension of the quarantine curfew as well.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday urged the public to refrain from unnecessary travel.
“The lockdown is a Government directive. It is not meant to be enforced by armed forces patrolling the streets to arrest those who break curfew. It is a social responsibility that all [Sri Lankan] citizens need to take to heart and adhere to. Zero progress without cooperation,” the Health Minister tweeted.
Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control State Minister Sudarshini Fernandopulle echoed these views, saying there is no point in a lockdown if the public does not adhere to health guidelines.
