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Saturday Nov 23, 2024
Tuesday, 9 March 2021 02:42 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
A total of 344 persons yesterday tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the country’s COVID-19 patient count to 86,039.
The patients detected yesterday include 312 associates of the Peliyagoda cluster and 22 persons linked to the Prisons cluster. The Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda and Prisons clusters have thus expanded to 81,764 patients.
Included in the total patient count are 2,167 Sri Lankan returnees from abroad, 950 Navy personnel and their contacts, 651 persons linked to the Kandakadu cluster, and 184 foreigners.
The district distribution of COVID-19 patients published by the Epidemiology Unit records 28,568 persons from Colombo, 16,962 persons from Gampaha, 6,296 persons from Kalutara, 4,021 persons from Kandy, and 2,431 persons from Kurunegala.
The district distribution includes the 359 persons who tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, of which 77 were from Gampaha, 74 were from Colombo, 34 were from Galle, 18 were from Nuwara Eliya, and 17 were from Jaffna.
The patients detected from Colombo include 21 from Talangama, 11 from Piliyandala, and eight from Colombo 1.
The Epidemiology Unit adds that 3,019 COVID-19 patients are currently under medical care. The active patients include 219 persons at the Hambantota District General Hospital, 177 persons at the Kahawatte Treatment Centre, and 166 persons at the Warakapola Base Hospital.
A total of 424 persons are currently under observation over fears of having contracted the virus.
Hospitals yesterday discharged 454 persons who recovered from COVID-19. This includes 49 persons from the Kahawatte Treatment Centre, 43 persons from the Giriulla Treatment Centre, and 42 persons from the Warakapola Base Hospital.
The COVID-19 recoveries currently stand at 82,513.
In terms of testing, the Health Promotion Bureau states that 11,809 PCR tests were performed on Sunday.
The ongoing COVID-19 immunisation program targeting the Western Province has vaccinated over 700,000 persons to date.
“Over the weekend, 30,041 persons were vaccinated. The total number of persons vaccinated is 729,562. We received a batch of doses [on Sunday] and using these as well as the doses previously received, vaccination programs will take place in future in Gampaha, Colombo, Colombo municipal area and select areas in Kalutara District covering the Western Province,” Deputy Director General of Public Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath said.
He added that he had so far been covering the duties of Deputy Director General of Public Health Services, but that Dr. S.M. Arnold, who has been appointed to the role, will assume duties today. Dr. Herath emphasised that this was not a result of any persons being removed from their positions.
Meanwhile, Prof. Neelika Malavige, who is attached to the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences of the Sri Jayewardenepura University yesterday said studies are being carried out on the reaction to COVID-19 vaccines in Sri Lanka.
“We collected blood samples of approximately 2,000 health workers. It has been a month since they were vaccinated. Studies are ongoing and so far we feel there are positive results,” she said.
Prof. Malavige also addressed falsehoods on vaccination that are being circulated on social media, for instance, that the vaccine causes infertility. She said there was no truth to such claims.
