Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Monday, 21 December 2020 00:12 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
The country’s total COVID-19 patient count increased to 37,261, with health authorities stating that 592 persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday.
The patients detected yesterday include 554 associates of the Peliyagoda COVID-19 cluster and 38 persons linked to the Prisons COVID-19 cluster. The triple clusters, which include the Divulapitiya cluster as well, has thus increased to 33,590 patients.
According to the situation report published yesterday by the Epidemiology Unit, 1,630 Sri Lankan returnees from abroad, 950 Navy personnel and their contacts, 651 persons linked to the Kandakadu cluster, and 126 foreigners are also among the COVID-19 patients identified in the island.
Of them, 8,823 persons are currently under medical care, including 733 persons at the Punani Treatment Centre, 501 persons at the Bingiriya Treatment Centre, and 428 persons at the Neville Fernando Hospital. Hospitals are also monitoring 438 persons suspected of having COVID-19.
The Epidemiology Unit adds that 28,267 COVID-19 patients have recovered. This includes 134 persons from the Kandakadu Treatment Centre and 100 persons from the Gallela Treatment Centre discharged yesterday.
The number of patients detected from Colombo District is 15,168, data published by the Epidemiology Unit shows. The 25,421 patients detected from the Western Province also includes 7,937 persons from Gampaha District and 2,316 persons from Kalutara District. A total of 1,051 persons from Kandy, 570 persons from Kalmunai, and 511 persons from Kurunegala have also tested positive for COVID-19.
The Public Health Inspectors’ (PHI) Union yesterday made a request to the Government and officials to implement strict movement restricts on those travelling from high-risk areas, especially the Western Province, in order to avoid what they called an extremely unfortunate situation in the future.
“Foreshadowing of a high spread of COVID-19 and a severe disaster in the country at the end of the festive season is already apparent,” Union President Upul Rohana said, adding that the spread of COVID-19 through undetected persons living in the community has been observed, with the Western Province and other parts of the country identified as high-risk areas.
On Saturday, 618 persons tested positive for COVID-19. Of the 241 patients detected from Colombo District, 31 were from Borella, 30 were from Grandpass, 28 were from Slave Island, and 27 were from Wellawatte.
A total of 120 persons from Kalutara, 99 persons from Gampaha and 45 persons from Galle also tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday.
Three areas in Gampaha District were isolated from 5 a.m. today, according to the Department of Government Information. The areas are Nelligahawatte and Pooranakotu Waththa in the Peliyagoda Gangabada Grama Niladhari Division of the Peliyagoda Police Jurisdiction and Sri Jayanthi Mawatha in the Wilegoda North Grama Niladhari Division of the Kiribathgoda Police Division.
The National Operations Centre for the Prevention of the COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) announced that Naiduwa in the Kerawalapitiya Grama Niladhari Division of the Wattala Police Division, Gangabada Grama Niladhari Division of the Peliyagoda Police Division, and Wilegoda North Grama Niladhari Division of the Kiribathgoda Police Division are no longer isolated.
In the Colombo District, isolation has been removed from the Salamulla Grama Niladhari Division of the Wellampitiya Police Division and Kokila Road in the Wellawatte Police Division.
Isolation status in all other areas remain unchanged.
