292 persons test positive for COVID-19

• 660,151 COVID-19 patients detected to date
• Includes 72,292 detections since 1 January
• Western Province detections rise to 310,177
• 18,843 currently under medical or home-based care

By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya

Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 case count exceeded 660,000 following the detection of 292 COVID-19 patients yesterday.

The previous day, 281 persons tested positive for COVID-19 and the Health Promotion Bureau states that 2,752 PCR tests and 2,303 rapid antigen tests were conducted on Tuesday.

A total of 660,151 COVID-19 patients have been detected in Sri Lanka to date. Out of this, 72,292 patients have been detected since 1 January.

According to the Epidemiology Unit, 483,090 patients from the New Year cluster, 82,785 patients from the Peliyagoda cluster, 9,154 patients from the Prisons cluster and 3,059 patients from the Divulapitiya cluster have been detected.

The country’s imported cases include 7,237 Sri Lankan returnees from overseas and 328 foreigners.

The district distribution of COVID-19 cases records 138,181 patients from Colombo, 113,955 patients from Gampaha, 58,041 patients from Kalutara, 45,176 patients from Galle, and 31,340 patients from Kuruengala.

During the third wave of the pandemic, 105,884 persons from Colombo, 95,421 persons from Gampaha, and 50,983 persons from Kalutara tested positive for COVID-19.

There are currently 18,843 persons under medical or home-based care. The Epidemiology Unit adds that 1,081 persons suspected of having COVID-19 are under observation.

On Wednesday, 59 persons were released from care, raising the country’s COVID-19 recoveries to 624,863.