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Thursday, 22 July 2021 00:15 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
The samples of five COVID-19 patients from Piliyandala suspected to have contracted the Delta variant have been sent to the Sri Jayewardenepura University for further testing, it has been revealed.
The patients are employees of a private garment manufacturing facility in Jamburaliya, where 120 COVID-19 patients were detected from the 186 tested.
“Five suspected patients were detected from the variant PCR, but it has not been confirmed yet if they have the Delta variant. We have directed their samples to Sri Jayewardenepura University,” Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena said yesterday.
Thus far, 38 patients with the Delta variant have been detected in Sri Lanka and the samples of 10 patients suspected of having the Delta variant are being studied.
“The gene sequencing results will take a further two weeks,” Dr. Gunawardena said.
According to the Sri Jayewardenepura University’s Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine Director Dr. Chandima Jeewandara, it is the University that informed the Health Ministry of the patients from Piliyandala suspected of having the Delta variant.
“In the past, 100% of our suspicions were confirmed by genetic sequencing, so there is a high chance of these five patients also having the Delta variant,” he said.
Meanwhile, the country’s COVID-19 detections rose to 289,577 with 1,604 persons testing positive for COVID-19 yesterday.
The Health Promotion Bureau stated that 12,213 PCR tests were carried out yesterday with detections including 1,566 persons from the New Year cluster.
The Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda, Prisons and New Year clusters have a cumulative patient count of 281,271, which includes 186,164 persons from the New Year cluster, 82,785 persons from the Peliyagoda cluster, 7,687 persons from the Prisons cluster, and 3,059 persons from the Divulapitiya cluster.
In addition to the local cases, 6,036 Sri Lankan overseas arrivals and 328 foreigners have also tested positive for COVID-19.
This includes 1,554 COVID-19 patients detected on Tuesday, when 10,436 PCR tests and 3,887 rapid antigen tests were carried out. Tuesday’s patients include 1,503 persons from the New Year cluster, 43 Sri Lankan overseas arrivals, and eight persons from the Prisons cluster.
Of the COVID-19 detections made on Tuesday, 291 were from Colombo, 228 were from Gampaha, and 227 were from Kalutara.
During the third wave of the pandemic, 34,122 persons from Colombo, 32,453 persons from Gampaha, and 24,473 persons from Kalutara tested positive for COVID-19.
Total Western Province detections include 66,419 persons from Colombo, 50,987 persons from Gampaha, and 31,531 persons from Kalutara. In addition to this, 14,837 patients from Kurunegala, 14,076 patients from Kandy, and 13,463 patients from Galle have been detected.
At present, 21,949 persons are under medical care and 1,170 persons suspected of having COVID-19 are under observation.
Hospitals yesterday discharged 930 persons, raising the country’s COVID-19 recoveries to 263,758.
