Zero COVID-19 cases identified yesterday

• Total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases remains at 2,730
• Recoveries increase to 2,048
• Naval cluster ends with recovery of three Navy personnel

By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya

There were no COVID-19 cases identified in the island yesterday, and the total number of confirmed cases remains 2,730.

Of the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka, 874 are Sri Lankan returnees from abroad, and 31 are foreigners. The remaining are categorised as local cases, of which 950 are Navy personnel and their close contacts, and 562 are from the Kandakadu cluster and their contacts.

The Epidemiology Unit states that 671 persons are under medical care, including 368 at the Kandakadu Treatment Centre, 83 at the Welikanda Base Hospital, 68 at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), and 62 at the Panagoda Army Hospital.

There are also 46 patients at the Kattankudy Base Hospital, 25 at the Minuwangoda Base Hospital, 15 at the Iranawila Hospital, and two each at the Colombo East Base Hospital and the Kamburugamuwa District General Hospital.

The Epidemiology Unit added that the number of COVID-19 recoveries in the country has increased to 2,048, including seven persons who were discharged from various hospitals having recovered from COVID-19 yesterday. This includes four from the NIID and three from the Iranawila Hospital. The Sri Lanka Navy stated that the three persons discharged from the Iranawila Hospital were the last three Navy personnel of the naval COVID-19 cluster, and will be required to undergo an additional 14 days in quarantine.

According to a statement by the Sri Lanka Navy, the naval cluster, which emerged with the identification of a Navy personnel at the Welisara Naval Complex as COVID-19 positive on 22 April, included 906 Navy personnel. The last case reported from the Sri Lanka Navy was on 8 July.

The statement added that the Navy personnel were subjected to random PCR tests while undergoing treatment, and a total of 15,598 PCR tests have been carried out on Navy personnel. The Sri Lanka Navy added that they will continue to carry out random PCR tests at naval premises, while also adhering to health guidelines.

In addition to this, 94 suspect patients are currently being monitored at various hospitals, including 18 at the Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital, 11 at the Chilaw General Hospital, and 10 at the NIID while 5,819 persons are currently undergoing quarantine at 53 centres in the island.

According to the Health Promotion Bureau, 141,515 PCR tests have been carried out in the country so far, including 1,924 on Monday.