• PCR testing drops to 12,363 on Friday
• Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 detections rise to 451,401
• Over 100,000 COVID-19 patients detected from Colombo District
• Number of patients under medical or home-based care rises to 61,429 

By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya 

Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 detections crossed the 450,000 mark with the detection of 3,644 COVID-19 positive persons yesterday.

According to health officials, the COVID-19 cases detected yesterday are from the New Year cluster. Only 12,363 PCR tests were carried out yesterday.

On Thursday, 14,009 PCR tests and 5,134 rapid antigen tests were carried out and 3,627 COVID-19 patients were detected. The detections include 3,619 persons from the New Year cluster and eight Sri Lankan overseas arrivals.

A total of 451,401 COVID-19 cases have been detected in Sri Lanka to date, of which 344,663 are from the New Year cluster, 8,164 are from the Prisons cluster, 6,844 are Sri Lankan overseas arrivals, and 328 are foreigners. The district distribution of COVID-19 detections shows 100,549 persons from Colombo, 81,968 persons from Gampaha, 44,715 persons from Kalutara, 24,746 persons from Galle, and 21,830 persons from Kurunegala.

Western Province detections during the third wave of the pandemic include 68,252 persons from Colombo, 63,434 persons from Gampaha, and 37,657 persons from Kalutara.

At present, 61,429 persons are under medical or home-based care and 3,379 persons suspected of having COVID-19 are under observation.

The Epidemiology Unit states that 1,998 persons left hospitals yesterday, raising the country’s COVID-19 recoveries to 380,166.

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