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Tuesday, 27 October 2020 01:40 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) yesterday renewed its warning on the spike of COVID-19, cautioning that the country was at the edge of community transmission with 541 more patients reported, bringing the cumulative total to over 8,000.
“We can clearly state that a complex situation has risen and a serious risk is being created in the country. In other words, considering the factors of community spread, we can clearly see that Sri Lanka has come to the edge of community transmission,” GMOA member Dr. Haritha Aluthge said.
He went on to say that the situation in the country could worsen if the current measures were implemented without change. This could include an unusually higher number of COVID-19-related deaths in the next two months.
“We have identified five high-risk districts – Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle and Kurunegala – but risky conditions are arising in a few other districts as well,” he said, adding that decisions regarding district borders and restrictions must be taken about the five high-risk districts at the very least if the spread of the virus was to be contained.
Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera, however, stood by the Government’s stance on community transmission having not occurred yet. “We say there is no community transmission because there is no community transmission. Many people may want to hear that there is community transmission but we cannot say so if there are no epidemiology factors,” he said.
The Chief Epidemiologist explained that the health authorities had no reason to hide the fact if community transmission had, in fact, occurred, especially since a different approach would have to be taken in such a situation as per the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
According to Dr. Samaraweera, current measures of identifying contacts and directing them for quarantine to prevent further spread is an approach taken when a cluster emerges. However, at the stage of community transmission, all of the country’s resources will have to be allocated towards the management of the situation, he explained.
The warnings came as Sri Lanka’s total COVID-19 count yesterday surpassed 8,000, with 541 new cases identified in connection to the Divulapitiya and Peliyagoda cluster, bringing the total number of confirmed patients to 8,413.
As such, the Divulapitiya and Peliyagoda COVID-19 cluster yesterday expanded to 4,939 cases. Fifteen of yesterday’s cases were staff and associates of the Minuwangoda garment manufacturing facility who were at quarantine centres at the time of testing positive and 265 cases were other contacts.
Besides the current cluster that emerged on 4 October, the total cases identified in the island also include 1,464 Sri Lankan returnees from abroad, 950 Navy personnel and their close contacts, 651 persons linked to the Kandakadu cluster, and 97 foreigners.
According to the Epidemiology Unit, the active case count in the country is currently 4,464, of which 459 persons are at the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital, 450 persons are at the Gallela Treatment Centre, 241 persons are at the Kamburugamuwa Hospital, and 194 persons are at the Kandakadu Treatment Centre. At present, 32 facilities have been dedicated for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
Hospitals are also monitoring 527 persons suspected of having COVID-19 and 16 COVID-19-related deaths have also occurred in the island to date.
The Epidemiology Unit added that 130 persons were discharged from hospitals yesterday, having recovered from COVID-19. This includes 92 from the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital, 13 from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), and nine from the Welikanda Base Hospital.
In addition to this, five persons from Laggala Pallegama, four from the Teldeniya Base Hospital, three from the Rambukkana District Hospital, two from the Colombo East Base Hospital, and one each from the Hambantota District General Hospital and Abanpola District Hospital were also discharged yesterday.
Meanwhile, the National Operation Centre for the Prevention of the COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) stated that 316 persons left quarantine centres yesterday, having completed the process. To date, 57,427 persons have left centres.
The NOCPCO added that 8,421 persons were currently undergoing the process at 73 centres managed by the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy, and the Sri Lanka Air Force.
While first contacts of COVID-19 patients were directed to quarantine centres as per measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-1 thus far, NOCPCO Head Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva yesterday said first contacts would no longer be directed to centres and would be required to self-quarantine instead.
“As per instructions given by the President [three] days ago, the quarantine process implemented at present was assessed and presented to the President [yesterday],” Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva said, explaining that the President yesterday gave instructions requiring first contacts to self-quarantine.
Silva added that they expected persons directed for quarantine to remain at home and not pose a health risk to their neighbours and the general public.
A decision on relaxing curfew in areas where patients or contacts have not been identified will also be taken after the situation is reviewed by the authorities. At present, quarantine curfew has been enforced in 64 Police Jurisdictions in the country.
