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Tuesday, 28 April 2020 00:41 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 588 yesterday, with 65 new cases reported within the day as Navy personnel continued to test positive, becoming the largest cluster reported from Sri Lanka to date.
The majority of the new cases were from the Welisara Navy Camp and Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva said that overall, 180 Sri Lanka Navy personnel had tested positive for COVID-19, including 112 who were in the Welisara Naval Base and 68 who were on leave. “A total of 58 family members of Sri Lanka Navy personnel are currently quarantined at the Mihintale and Nipuna Boossa Quarantine Centres. A few more were sent to the centres [yesterday],” he added.
The number of active cases in the country is 455 and 295 persons are hospitalised due to COVID-19 suspicions. According to the Health Promotion Bureau, six recoveries were recorded yesterday, bringing the total to 126.
Measures are also being taken to expand PCR testing in the country and Health and Indigenous Medical Services Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said that more testing equipment will increase testing capacity to 2,000 a day.
“On 30 April, the Colombo East Base Hospital, Mulleriyawa is to receive a brand new PCR testing machine which can conduct 500 tests at once, which means 1,000 tests if it is used twice a day, so in the future, we will be expanding the testing capacity significantly,” she added.
According to Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe, 1,075 tests were conducted on Sunday, including tests on 100 residents of Dabare Mawatha, Narahenpita, after a COVID-19 patient was identified in the area. However, none of the tests came back positive.
The PCR testing facility in Batticaloa Teaching Hospital is to begin operations today, he said, adding that decisions have also been made for the PCR machines in the Colombo, Kelaniya, and Peradeniya Universities to be made use of. The universities will carry out the testing under the guidance of health authorities.
In a statement issued by the Health and Indigenous Medical Services Ministry yesterday, Dr. Jasinghe clarified that the request for 1,000 body bags from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was to meet technical requirements and not due to health sector estimates that there would be a high COVID-19 fatality rate in Sri Lanka.
Questions were raised about the gravity of the situation in Sri Lanka after a letter requesting 1,000 body bags from the organisation was circulated on social media recently. Dr. Jasinghe, however, said that the request for 1,000 body bags from ICRC was a precautionary measure and a technical necessity as a certain supply of body bags as well as medicines and medical equipment is maintained by the Ministry.
The ICRC provided an opportunity to maintain the required supply, the statement said, which is why the request was made.
According to the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) website, the third ‘Medi Mate’, a remote-controlled smart appliance, developed by the SLN was handed over to the Negombo District General Hospital yesterday.
The appliance is to support the Government’s efforts to protect frontline healthcare workers from contracting COVID-19 and the SLN website stated the appliance will deliver prescribed medicines to patients and has the capability of disinfecting patients prior to contact with the machine.
The SLN also stated that five persons who completed the quarantine process had left the Boosa Quarantine Centre yesterday. A total of 13 groups, which include 89 persons, have been released from the quarantine centre so far and 64 persons are yet to complete the quarantine process.
According to Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva, a total of 4,512 persons have completed the quarantine process at the 31 centres managed by the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy, and Sri Lanka Air Force. A further 3,181 are still under quarantine.
In addition to this, a SriLankan Airlines flight yesterday brought down 74 locals from Dhaka, Bangladesh and all will be quarantined at the Punani Quarantine Centre.
Curfew has also been lifted in all districts except for Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha, and Puttalam until 8 p.m. today and DIG Ajith Rohana emphasised the importance of adhering to health and safety guidelines in public transport as well as in one’s place of work.
He added that even when curfew is lifted, gatherings, parties, and festivals will not be permitted but that self-employed persons like three-wheeler drivers will be allowed to carry out their services.
Regarding the NIC last digit system introduced by the Police last week, DIG Ajith Rohana said: “There was certain discourse on the NIC number system. This isn’t a rule but mere guidelines.” He added that persons in areas where curfew has been lifted were encouraged to follow the system but that travel based on the last digit of one’s NIC number was not permitted in districts where curfew is imposed.
He added that the Sri Lanka Police had so far been arresting only those violating curfew regulations and misusing curfew passes but, today onwards, will also be arresting persons who do not maintain social distancing or adhere to health sector guidelines even when curfew is lifted.
According to DIG Ajith Rohana, a total of 40,095 persons and 10,332 vehicles have been taken into custody and, within a 12-hour period yesterday, 222 persons were arrested.
In addition to this, the Defence Ministry yesterday requested all print and electronic media to respect the privacy of COVID-19 confirmed patients and refrain from showing footage of residences being inspected by health authorities.
A statement published on the Ministry’s website stated: “Appreciating the critical role played by media personnel in educating the public on the novel coronavirus pandemic, Defence Secretary Maj. Gen.(Retd) Kamal Gunaratne said protecting patients’ privacy is important to encourage patients to come forward for testing.”
The latest updates on the COVID-19 situation in Sri Lanka can also now be accessed on an official website by the Government. It details the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including statistics, guidelines, and latest updates on various sectors, and the public can access the website on covid19.gov.lk.
