Monday Apr 29, 2024
Monday Apr 29, 2024
Wednesday, 26 May 2021 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
The detection of 2,706 COVID-19 positive persons yesterday brought the country’s total COVID-19 detections to 169,878.
The Director General of Health Services also reported 28 COVID related deaths yesterday, which increases the total number of deaths in the country to 1,269.
The patients detected yesterday include 2,706 persons linked to the New Year cluster and the Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda, Prisons and New Year COVID-19 clusters have expanded to 163,471 patients.
In addition to the patients detected yesterday, 82,785 patients from the Peliyagoda cluster, 69,240 patients from the New Year cluster, 5,681 patients from the Prisons cluster, and 3,059 patients from the Divulapitiya cluster make up the cumulative patient count of the clusters.
The country’s COVID-19 detections also include 4,175 Sri Lankan returnees from abroad and 318 foreigners.
Included in the patient count are the 2,971 detections from Monday, of which 2,911 were from the New Year cluster, 59 were from the Prisons cluster, and one was a Sri Lankan returnee from abroad.
The Health Promotion Bureau states that 17,263 PCR tests were performed on Monday.
Of the COVID-19 patients detected on Monday, 605 were from Colombo, 472 were from Kalutara, 395 were from Gampaha, 223 were from Ratnapura, and 171 were from Kurunegala.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, 46,164 persons from Colombo, 31,020 persons from Gampaha, 14,322 persons from Kalutara, 8,516 persons from Kurunegala, and 6,767 persons from Kandy have tested positive for COVID-19.
At present, 27,460 persons are under medical care, including 960 persons at the Weligama Treatment Centre, 700 persons at the Bingiriya Treatment Centre, and 553 persons at the Punani Treatment Centre. Hospitals also have 1,512 persons suspected of having COVID-19 under observation.
The Epidemiology Unit states that 1,228 persons were discharged from hospitals yesterday, including 80 persons from the Bingiriya Treatment Centre, 71 persons from the Dambadeniya Treatment Centre, and 69 persons from the Panideniya Treatment Centre. The country’s COVID-19 recoveries have thus risen to 141,175.
The Cabinet of Ministers on Monday approved a proposal tabled by Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi consisting of four steps to ensure oxygen supply for critically ill COVID-19 patients.
As such, high dependency units with wall oxygen devices will be established at 25 hospitals across the island and 15 oxygen generator machines will be established at 15 remote hospitals.
Approval has also been granted to provide 100 mobile medical oxygen generators each to 25 districts and the 2,500 mobile medical oxygen generators will reduce the need for oxygen supply through cylinders.
A total of 12,000 litres of liquid oxygen will be imported monthly to meet surging demand and ensure an adequate stock.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) yesterday launched SLMA COVID Sahana, a welfare project through which the organisation will collect funds to assist in COVID-19 control and management measures.
The project has six key objectives, including providing necessary support to healthcare institutions of the Health Ministry that provide clinical care to COVID-19 patients, providing education to the public on prevention and management of COVID-19, and supporting the National Vaccination Program to vaccinate 70% of the total population.
SLMA COVID Sahana will also be used to provide relief to healthcare workers affected by COVID-19, support capacity building of healthcare staff on prevention and treatment, and provide financial assistance to children of families affected by COVID-19 long term.
