Saturday Dec 28, 2024
Saturday Dec 28, 2024
Friday, 8 January 2021 00:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
The country’s total COVID-19 patient count yesterday rose to 46,780 with the detection of 532 new patients.
Of the persons who tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, 432 persons are associates of the Peliyagoda cluster, 93 from the prisons cluster, while seven were overseas arrivals. The triple cluster that emerged from Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda, and Prisons has thus expanded to 43,023 patients.
The total patient count also includes 1,702 Sri Lankan returnees from abroad, 950 Navy personnel and their contacts, 651 persons linked to the Kandakadu cluster, and 134 foreigners.
According to the Epidemiology Unit, 6,897 persons are currently under medical care at various treatment centres, including 452 persons at the Bingiriya Treatment Centre, 447 persons at the Gallela Treatment Centre, and 424 persons at the Punani Treatment Centre.
Hospitals are also monitoring 747 persons suspected of having COVID-19.
The total COVID-19 recoveries yesterday rose to 39,661. According to the Epidemiology Unit, 76 persons from the Bingiriya Treatment Centre, 63 persons from the Gallela Treatment Centre, and 54 persons at the Warakapola Base Hospital are among those discharged yesterday.
The district distribution of COVID-19 cases records 18,551 persons from Colombo, 9,725 persons from Gampaha, and 3,142 persons from Kalutara, bringing the total number of COVID-19 patients detected from the Western Province to 31,418.
The district distribution also includes 1,516 patients from Kandy, 805 patients from Kalmunai, and 784 patients from Ratnapura.
The total count includes the 522 COVID-19 patients detected on Wednesday. Of the 206 patients from Colombo, 36 were from Colombo 8, 32 were from Colombo 3, and 27 were from Colombo 6. Patients detected on Wednesday also include 97 from Gampaha, 81 from Kalutara, 28 from Galle, and 27 from Kurunegala.
With regard to testing, the Health Promotion Bureau states that 1,326,833 PCR tests have been performed in the island to date, of which 15,041 were performed on Wednesday.
Police Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana yesterday said that 802 rapid antigen tests and 781 PCR tests were carried out in the Western Province on Tuesday and Wednesday on persons who were not wearing face masks in public. While the PCR results are pending, 16 COVID-19 positive persons were detected through rapid antigen testing.
“Operations were carried out [on Wednesday] as well in the Western Province with regard to persons not wearing face masks in public spaces and legal action under quarantine regulations was taken against 523 persons who failed to wear face masks,” DIG Ajith Rohana said.
He added that, of the 523 persons, 252 persons were subjected to rapid antigen tests through which two patients were detected. The remaining 271 persons were subjected to PCR tests, the results of which are pending.
Meanwhile, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera yesterday said: “We only expect to bring down a vaccine that the World Health Organisation recommends in emergency situations.” He added that the country has sufficient freezers for the storage of vaccines, with freezers between 4 and 8 degree temperatures across districts on a Medical Officer of Health level, as well as minus 20 degree and minus 80 degree freezers.
