725 persons test positive for COVID-19

• Total patient count rises to 566,196
• 7,274 PCR tests conducted on Friday
• New Year cluster expands to 461,348
• 10,241 persons under medical or home-based care

By Shailendree 

Wickrama Adittiya

Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 detections rose to 566,196 with 725 persons testing positive for COVID-19 yesterday.

The patients detected yesterday include 723 persons from the New Year cluster and two overseas arrivals. The Health Promotion Bureau states that 7,274 PCR tests were conducted yesterday.

The previous day, 7,836 PCR tests and 4,025 rapid antigen tests were performed. On Thursday, 735 persons from the New Year cluster and three Sri Lankan overseas arrivals tested positive for COVID-19.

The country’s total COVID-19 detections include 461,348 persons from the New Year cluster, 82,785 persons from the Peliyagoda cluster, 9,054 persons from the Prisons cluster, and 3,059 persons from the Divulapitiya cluster.

The country’s imported cases include 6,983 Sri Lankans and 328 foreigners.

The district distribution of COVID-19 patients shows 115,268 persons from Colombo, 98,495 persons from Gampaha, 53,049 persons from Kalutara, 35,486 persons from Galle, and 27,574 persons from Kurunegala. During the third wave of the pandemic, 82,971 persons from Colombo, 79,961 persons from Gampaha, and 45,991 persons from Kalutara tested positive for COVID-19. At present, 10,241 persons are under medical or home-based care and 2,557 persons suspected of having COVID-19 are under observation.

The Epidemiology Unit states that 412 persons were released from care yesterday, raising the country’s COVID-19 recoveries to 541,536.