Total COVID-19 confirmed cases rises to 477 with 6 new patients

This is in addition to the 11 persons identified earlier today. Currently, there are 350 confirmed patients receiving treatment in addition to 273 suspect patients hospitalised. A total of 120 persons have been discharged following recovery so far.

With the increasing number of confirmed cases, the Government has been introducing measures to contain further spread of COVID-19 in the country. This includes the hotlines 1999 and 1390, which the public can use to report symptoms and receive medical advice instead of going to a hospital.

In a statement issued today by the Health and Indigenous Medical Services Ministry, the Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe emphasised the importance of using the above mentioned hotlines, adding that some had failed to follow the given instructions.

He added that it was important that correct information, especially regarding one’s residence, was provided to health authorities as it could put medical professionals and others at risk.

Dr. Jasinghe also mentioned that a patient at the De Soysa Hospital for Women had given the hospital a false address but that the hospital staff had managed to locate her residence to be in an area where a COVID-19 patient had been previously identified.

Due to this, the hospital staff had taken the necessary precautionary measures by subjecting the individual to a PCR test as well as admitting her to a specially-prepared ward.