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Monday, 24 January 2022 02:39 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
COVID-19 detections during the weekend rose to 1,683 with daily detections exceeding 800 for five days in a row.
A total of 838 persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, of which 837 were from the New Year cluster and one was an overseas arrival.
The previous day, 840 persons from the New Year cluster, four Sri Lankan overseas returnees and one person from the Prisons cluster tested positive for COVID-19. The Health Promotion Bureau states that 7,501 PCR tests and 5,160 rapid antigen tests were conducted on Saturday.
In addition to this, the Sri Jayewardenepura University confirmed the detection of 75 new Omicron cases over the weekend. According to the latest COVID-19 variant report issued by the Allergy, Immunology and Cell Biology Unit of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, the cases were detected from 78 samples.
“These 78 samples were sequenced from the first, second and third weeks of January from the community,” Allergy, Immunology and Cell Biology Unit Director Dr. Chandima Jeewandara said.
The 75 Omicron cases include a mix of the two main Omicron lineages, BA.1 and BA.2.
According to the report, 56 cases of BA.1 were detected from Colombo, Avissawella, Borelasgamuwa, Homagama, Katugoda, Kosgama, Madapatha, Padukka, Parakudawa and Wellampitiya.
12 cases of BA.2 were detected from Avissawella, Badulla, Colombo, Galle, Konnawala, Mount Lavinia, and Nugegoda. A passenger from India also had the BA.2 lineage.
Seven B.1.1.529 Omicron cases were detected from Angoda, Colombo, Ruwanwella, Mount Lavinia, Nugegoda and Padukka.
“Currently, 8% of the sequences of Sri Lanka are BA.2, which was named as a variant of interest by the UK Health Security Agency,” the Sri Jayewardenepura University states.
In addition to the Omicron variant, one case of the AY.98 Sri Lankan Delta sub-lineage was detected in Thalangama, one case of the AY.104 Sri Lankan Delta sub-lineage was detected from Kaduwela, and one case of the B.1.617.2 Delta lineage was detected from Wellampitiya.
The Sri Jayewardenepura University previously confirmed the detection of 205 Omicron cases, while the Medical Research Institute said ten Omicron cases have been detected by the Molecular Biology Laboratory.
“There are between 250 to 275 Omicron cases reported. At present, it is estimated that 5,300 to 5,400 active patients are hospitalised. This is 40% of the total capacity,” Health Ministry Medical Technical Services Director Dr. Anwar Hamdani said.
He added that hospitalisation has risen by 10% and the number of patients requiring oxygen supply has risen by 8%.
Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 detections currently stand at 601,886. This includes 496,722 persons from the New Year cluster, 82,785 persons from the Peliyagoda cluster, 9,098 persons from the Prisons cluster, and 3,059 persons from the Divulapitiya cluster.
In terms of imported cases, 7,142 Sri Lankan overseas returnees and 328 foreigners have tested positive for COVID-19.
The district distribution of COVID-19 detections shows 121,480 patients from Colombo, 103,678 patients from Gampaha, 54,589 patients from Kalutara, 39,614 patients from Galle, and 28,985 patients from Kurunegala.
During the third wave of the pandemic, 89,183 persons from Colombo, 85,144 persons from Gampaha, and 47,531 persons from Kalutara tested positive for COVID-19.
At present, 10,473 persons are under medical and home-based care and 2,455 persons suspected of having COVID-19 are under observation.
The country’s COVID-19 recoveries rose to 576,114 with 182 persons released from care yesterday.
