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Thursday, 2 September 2021 00:19 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 detections rose to 444,130 with 3,828 COVID-19 more patients identified yesterday. This is the first time daily COVID-19 detections have dropped below 4,000 since 21 August, when 3,884 were detected.
The patients detected yesterday were from the New Year cluster. According to the Health Promotion Bureau, 13,336 PCR tests were carried out yesterday.
On Tuesday, 13,936 PCR tests and 4,323 rapid antigen tests were carried out, and a total of 4,221 COVID-19 patients were detected. This includes 4,220 persons from the New Year cluster and one overseas arrival.
A total of 337,218 patients have been detected from the New Year cluster and it is the country’s largest COVID-19 cluster. In addition to this, 82,785 persons from the Peliyagoda cluster, 8,162 persons from the Prisons cluster, and 3,059 persons from the Divulapitiya cluster have been detected.
In terms of imported cases, 6,836 Sri Lankans and 328 foreigners have tested positive for COVID-19.
The district distribution of the total COVID-19 detections shows 99,240 persons from Colombo, 80,404 persons from Gampaha, 44,302 persons from Kalutara, 24,152 persons from Galle, and 21,323 persons from Kurunegala.
During the third wave of the pandemic, 66,943 persons from Colombo, 61,870 persons from Gampaha, and 37,244 persons from Kalutara tested positive for COVID-19.
According to the Epidemiology Unit, 2,060 persons left hospitals yesterday, raising the country’s COVID-19 recoveries to 376,216.
At present, 58,514 persons are under medical or home-based care and 3,361 persons suspected of having COVID-19 are under observation.
Meanwhile, Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control State Minister Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle yesterday said she personally felt it would be better if quarantine curfew was extended by a week or two because the number of COVID-19 detections have not yet dropped.
“In a study carried out by Prof. Neelika Malavige in January, she states that 14% of PCR tests in the CMC area were positive but that there were nine times this number in society. So now, with the Delta variant, it could be much higher than nine times,” Dr. Fernandopulle said.
She added that when 5,000 patients are detected, there could be at least 50,000 patients undetected in the community.
“If travel restrictions are enforced for a week or two, this spread can be controlled to some extent.”
