1,259 COVID-19 patients detected 

• Total patient count rises to 625,804 
• Includes 520,105 from New Year cluster 
• 292,166 patients detected from Western Province 
• 15,702 persons under medical and home-based care 

  

By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya 

Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 case count rose to 625,804 with the detection of 1,259 COVID-19 patients yesterday.  

The Department of Government Information states that all patients detected yesterday were from the New Year cluster. The previous day, 1,296 persons from the New Year cluster and one Sri Lankan overseas returnee tested positive for COVID-19. The Health Promotion Bureau states that 7,745 PCR tests and 4,025 rapid antigen tests were conducted on Thursday.  

A total of 520,105 persons from the New Year cluster, 82,785 persons from the Peliyagoda cluster, 9,152 persons from the Prisons cluster, and 3,059 persons from the Divulapitiya cluster have tested positive for COVID-19 to date. 

The country’s imported cases include 7,202 Sri Lankan overseas returnees and 328 foreigners. The Epidemiology Unit states that 127,763 patients from Colombo, 108,815 patients from Gampaha, 55,588 patients from Kalutara, 40,962 patients from Galle, and 30,013 patients from Kurunegala have been detected. 

During the third wave of the pandemic, 95,466 persons from Colombo, 90,281 persons from Gampaha, and 48,530 persons from Kalutara tested positive for COVID-19. At present, 15,702 persons are under medical or home-based care and 1,145 persons suspected of having COVID-19 are under observation. The country’s COVID-19 recoveries rose to 594,348 with 373 persons released from care yesterday.