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Saturday Dec 21, 2024
Wednesday, 15 July 2020 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree
Wickrama Adittiya
19 persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the total number of confirmed patients in the island to 2,665 as officials continued contact tracing and outlined plans to step up PCR testing in the coming days to contain the latest cluster.
The new patients included overseas arrivals as well as contacts of persons who tested positive from the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre.
“Three persons who returned from Oman tested positive for COVID-19, as did the spouse and father-in-law of a COVID-19-positive counsellor of the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre who were residing in Kundasale,” Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe stated. He added that a relative of an officer at the Kandakadu centre residing in Lankapura had also tested positive and so had an individual from Rajanganaya. In addition to this, two returnees from UAE had tested positive as well.
According to the Epidemiology Unit, over 499 persons have tested positive from the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre and the total number of confirmed patients includes 906 Navy personnel and 790 overseas arrivals at quarantine centres.
The number of active cases in the island has increased to 664 and this includes 360 patients at the Kandakadu Treatment Centre, 77 at the Welikanda Base Hospital, 63 at the Panagoda Army Hospital, and 59 at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID).
The Epidemiology Unit added that seven persons, including four from the Minuwangoda Base Hospital, two from the Iranawila Hospital, and one from the NIID, were discharged having recovered from COVID-19 yesterday.
According to the Sri Lanka Navy, 898 Navy personnel have recovered from COVID-19 so far, including three recoveries on Monday. All Navy personnel discharged from hospital will be required to undergo quarantine for 14 days.
While the number of COVID-19 recoveries in the island has risen to 1,988, 120 suspect patients are currently under investigation at various hospitals, including 24 at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital.
According to the Health Promotion Bureau, 125,632 PCR tests have been carried out in the island, including 1,310 on Monday. Ministry of Health Epidemiology Unit Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera yesterday stated that the number of PCR tests conducted will be increased in the future.
He explained that it was easier to contain the spread of COVID-19 from the cluster that emerged from the Welisara Navy Base as the country was under lockdown at the time and movement was restricted.
“However, in this situation, we are seeing that when the staff of the Kandakadu centre went home, there was movement, whether to schools or meetings. There is thus a risk of COVID-19 spreading through them and there is more work to be done when tracing contacts,” Dr. Samaraweera said.
He added: “Community cases will be identified in six areas including Rajangayana but the risk of spreading is extremely high so we are asking the public to limit movement.”
The Chief Epidemiologist also stated that when lower numbers of cases are identified, the public ignores safety measures in place, which in turn results in a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases.
There were also several reports of contacts of COVID-19 patients being directed to quarantine centres or being asked to self-quarantine, including the family and contacts in Homagama of a Sri Lanka Army officer who served at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre. This was late on Monday.
The Department of Government Information (DGI) yesterday issued a statement on false information being spread regarding the COVID-19 patients identified from the Kandakadu Centre, stating that this included false information on public holidays and curfew. The DGI stated that that the Government had made no such decisions.
They added that all information related to the spread of COVID-19 will be published through the Department of Government Information.
Sharing similar views was Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe, who stated yesterday that the public will be informed of any community cases identified in the country and that there were various rumours circulating on social media of patients being identified from various parts of the island.
“The basis for most of these rumours is that those who work at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre or inmates who have gone to their homes in these areas have been called back for quarantine,” he explained.
Dr. Jasinghe added that the management of a private hospital in Ragama has decided to temporarily shut down the hospital after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19. Following this, 48 persons at the hospital were subjected to PCR tests and the hospital will be able to resume operations if the persons do not test positive.
According to Dr. Jasinghe, the individual who tested positive had joined the hospital on 1 July and had worked there until 10 July. The individual had gone to the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre on 23 June as a counsellor and had been unwell once he returned. He had been undergoing quarantine when he tested positive.
A statement was also issued by the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) on the risk of a second wave in the country, especially with the identification of patients from the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre.
The GMOA emphasised the importance of increasing testing capacity and added that the spread of COVID-19 can be controlled if contacts are identified and the situation is responded to quickly. According to the GMOA, the number of PCR tests conducted in Sri Lanka was not sufficient for random sampling from all over the island, and they recommended 2,500 daily tests as opposed to the less than 2,000 daily tests currently carried out.
“The successful control of the spread of COVID-19 depends on the actions of three main groups; political leadership and dedication, capacity and activity of health system, and community dedication,” the statement read.
The GMOA also suggested measures to prevent a second wave, including improved contract tracing tools with health authorities and intelligence units coming together, increasing daily PCR testing capacity, implementation of an aggressive testing strategy, zonal lockdown, random community sample surveillance, and compartmentalisation to prevent the spread to large groups.
They also suggested the DREAM strategy of distancing, respiratory etiquette, aseptic technique, and mask.
Officials have also suspended the presenting of prisoners to courts for testimonies in order to prevent the possible spread of the virus.
