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Wednesday, 29 April 2020 05:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Seven specially equipped hospitals around the country are being used to treat 478 COVID-19 infected patients including 31 who tested positive for the virus yesterday, bringing the total number of cases to 619.
Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe told a press conference yesterday that the COVID-19 patients were being treated at IDH, Welikanda, Colombo East, Iranawila, Kattankudy, Minuwangoda hospitals and the Welisara Navy Hospital. The 31 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday brought the total number of confirmed cases to 619.
Eight patients were released from care yesterday after recovering from the virus, bringing the total of those recovered to 134. According to the Health Promotion Bureau, 317 suspected cases are being monitored in hospitals, while 478 active cases are under treatment. Seven persons have succumbed to the virus so far.
The apex health regulators remarks came as Sri Lanka recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases on Monday, with 65 patients testing positive for the virus. The Government has been building testing capacity in the country for some time, with health professionals like the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) and opposition politicians repeatedly calling for testing to be expanded earlier this month.
“On Tuesday we performed a record 1,553 tests with the Batticaloa Hospital coming online for testing,” Dr. Jasinghe said at the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 (NOCPOC). A state of the art testing laboratory at Mulleriyawa, funded by the ADB will be completed soon he said, pointing out that the laboratory will be capable to carrying out 1000 PCR tests each day.
According to Dr. Jasinghe, five patients who tested positive yesterday were sailors from the Navy and three persons from the Punani quarantine centre. “So far 206 sailors have tested positive for the virus. A majority of them were from the Welisara Navy camp and less from those who were on leave is a good thing,” Dr. Jasinghe added.
A total of 77 persons who completed the quarantine program at the Damminna and Punani quarantine centres were released yesterday after being subjected to PCR testing, NOCPOC Head and Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva said yesterday. A total of 4,562 persons have completed the quarantine program as of yesterday and returned home, Lt. Gen. Silva said, pointing out that 3,292 persons are undergoing quarantine at 31 centres island-wide. All Navy personnel and their families who were in contact with sailors who tested positive for COVID-19 have been identified and moved into quarantine centres, Lt. Gen. Silva stated.
Public health officials yesterday subjected a number of persons from a street in Narahenpita to PCR testing after a person with COVID-19 symptoms was detected from the area. 34 test samples had been taken and results are expected today. Public Health Inspectors, health officials and Police are monitoring the situation.
A group of State officials, armed forces personnel, and students, numbering 164, were repatriated from Bengaluru in India yesterday on a passenger flight and were moved to a quarantine centre run by the Army to complete the mandatory quarantine program for overseas returnees, Lt. Gen. Silva added.
