Two locations isolated, 138 moved to quarantine as COVID-19 claims another victim

• Death toll up to 9 with 52-year-old being latest fatality
• 20 persons test positive, total confirmed cases up to 771
• 19 patients recover, bringing total recoveries to 213
• 47 released from quarantine centres, 4,816 remain in quarantine 
• 138 people from Rajagiriya, Kollonnawa, Modara, Kolabissa quarantined after exposure to confirmed patients
• ‘B’ block of Methsanda Sevana in Modara, Giribawa village in Kurunegala declared isolated areas
• Another batch of 194 stranded students from UK arrives
• 986 more PCR tests done on Monday

The Government yesterday moved 138 persons from four areas in Rajagiriya, Kollonnawa, Modara and Kolabissa into quarantine, as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) claimed its ninth victim yesterday. 

A 52-year-old female patient from Colombo 15 succumbed to the virus at the IDH yesterday, raising the total deaths caused by COVID-19 in Sri Lanka to nine.

Block ‘B’ of Methsanda Sevana in Modara was declared an isolated area by Colombo Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ruwan Wijayamuni, and over 1,200 individuals from 239 housing units in the multi-storey housing scheme were ordered to self-quarantine, after a 62-year old woman resident tested positive for COVID-19.

Giribawa village in Kurunegala was also declared as an isolated area by health authorities yesterday as a precautionary measure, after a person from the village tested positive for COVID-19.

A total of 20 persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, pushing total confirmed cases up to 771.

According to the Health Ministry Epidemiology Unit, 19 infected patients recovered yesterday, moving the total to recover to 213, while 549 patients remain under treatment as of last night. 

Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe said those who tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday were from the Kolonnawa, Rajagiriya, Modara and from the Kandakadu quarantine centre, while four of the remaining patients are Navy personnel.

A total of 138 persons from Rajagiriya and Kolonnawa in the Colombo District and Kolabissa in Kandy District have been sent to quarantine centres, National Operations Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 (NOCPOC) Head and Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva said.  

This was following the confirmation of one COVID-19 positive case in each area. The group includes 67 persons from Kolabissa in Kandy, 29 from Rajagiriya, 27 from Kolonnawa, and 15 from Modara, Lt. Gen. Silva said.

Lt. Gen. Silva said 47 people who completed the quarantine program were released yesterday after testing negative in COVID-19 PCR tests.  

He also said that to date, a total of 5,089 persons who completed the quarantine program have returned home from quarantine centres, while another 4,816 persons remain in quarantine in 36 centres islandwide.

A special SriLankan Airlines flight from London was scheduled to arrive early morning today, bringing 194 stranded students from UK, who were to be sent to quarantine.

The US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina B. Teplitz yesterday met Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksha regarding cooperation on the prevention of COVID-19. "The Ambassador welcomed the opportunity to discuss cooperation in combatting COVID-19 and US assistance to Sri Lanka," a US embassy spokesperson told the Daily FT.