• Third consecutive day with less than 2,000 detections
• Total patient count rises to 506,009; over 400,000 from New Year cluster
• 190,566 COVID-19 detections from Western Province during third wave
• 60,698 persons under medical and home-based care

By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya

Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 detections rose to 506,009 with the detection of 1,518 COVID-19 positive persons yesterday.

This is the third consecutive day where less than 2,000 COVID-19 patients have been detected, with detections dropping below 2,000 on Sunday for the first time since 28 July.

According to the Department of Government Information, yesterday’s COVID-19 detections include 1,509 persons from the New Year cluster and nine overseas arrivals. A total of 8,338 PCR tests were conducted yesterday.

The Health Promotion Bureau states that 9,837 PCR tests and 3,525 rapid antigen tests were carried out on Sunday and 1,733 COVID-19 patients were detected.

The COVID-19 patients detected on Sunday include 1,590 persons from the New Year cluster, 142 persons from the Prisons cluster, and one Sri Lankan overseas arrival.

According to the Epidemiology Unit, 400,960 patients have been detected from the New Year cluster, 82,785 patients have been detected from the Peliyagoda cluster, 8,549 patients have been detected from the Prisons cluster, and 3,059 patients have been detected from the Divulapitiya cluster.

The country’s imported COVID-19 cases consist of 6,889 Sri Lankans and 328 foreigners.

The district distribution of COVID-19 detections shows 108,342 persons from Colombo, 90,414 persons from Gampaha, 49,699 persons from Kalutara, 29,479 persons from Galle, and 24,189 persons from Kurunegala.

Western Province detections during the third wave of the pandemic include 76,045 persons from Colombo, 71,880 persons from Gampaha, and 42,641 persons from Kalutara.

At present, 60,698 persons are under medical and home-based care and 2,187 persons suspected of having COVID-19 are under observation. According to health officials, 80,116 persons have been part of the COVID-19 homecare program thus far and 67,504 persons have been released from treatment having made a recovery.

According to the Epidemiology Unit, 1,055 persons left hospitals yesterday, raising the country’s COVID-19 recoveries to 433,093. 

93 more COVID-19 fatalities raise total to 12,218

62,008 persons vaccinated against COVID-19 on Sunday