309 more test positive for COVID-19

Tuesday, 20 April 2021 01:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Total patient count exceeds 97,000, includes 91,634 from triple cluster
3,272 Sri Lankan returnees and 267 foreigners also among total patient count
56,155 COVID-19 patients detected from Western Province
Manner in which Avurudu was celebrated increases risk of COVID-19 wave: Ravi Kumudesh

By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya

A total of 309 persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday and the country’s total patient count has increased to 97,105.

The patients detected yesterday include 282 associates of the Peliyagoda COVID-19 cluster and nine persons linked to the Prisons cluster. The Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda, and Prisons clusters have expanded to 91,634.

The country’s total COVID-19 patient count also includes 3,272 Sri Lankan arrivals from abroad, 950 Navy personnel and their contacts, 651 persons linked to the Kandakadu cluster, and 267 foreigners.

According to the Epidemiology Unit, 30,607 patients from Colombo, 18,733 patients from Gampaha, 6,815 patients from Kalutara, 4,277 patients from Kandy, and 3,062 patients from Ratnapura have been detected to date.

Of the 357 COVID-19 patients detected yesterday, 63 were from Colombo, 50 were from Kurunegala, and 41 were from Gampaha.

At present, 3,111 persons are under medical care and 604 persons suspected of having COVID-19 are under observation. The active patients include 204 persons at the Giriulla Treatment Centre, 128 persons at the Dambadeniya Treatment Centre, and 96 persons at the Welikanda Base Hospital.

Hospitals discharged 261 persons yesterday, including 62 persons form the Kopai Treatment Centre, 29 persons from the Dambadeniya Treatment Centre, 15 persons from the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital, and 15 persons from the Dankotuwa District Hospital.

A total of 93,374 persons have recovered from COVID-19 to date.

Given the rise of COVID-19 patients detected after the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, Association of Government Medical Laboratory Technologists Head Ravi Kumudesh stated that this was due to the inaccuracies in the COVID-19 patient detections reported in the country.

He alleged that inaccurate data was published in order to show that COVID-19 was under control in the country, which led to people celebrating Avurudu with a lack of adherence to safety guidelines.

“Considering the manner in which people celebrated Avurudu, we face a serious risk of another COVID-19 wave,” Kumudesh said.

He also highlighted the reduced number of testing in the country, saying: “On 10 April, we carried out 8,000 tests, out of which 412 were infected. However, on 14 April, we only carried out 4,074 tests and with the number of tests dropping from 8,000 to 4,000, the number of patients also dropped from 400 to 151.”

Covishield second dose to be administered from May

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