185 active COVID-19 cases

• No new cases identified, total remains at 3,123 
• 185 persons currently under medical care
• One person discharged having recovered from COVID-19

By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases identified in the island remains unchanged at 3,123 due to zero patients being identified yesterday.

The Epidemiology Unit states that 1,173 Sri Lankan returnees from abroad, including two on Sunday, have tested positive for COVID-19, along with 46 foreigners. In terms of local cases, 950 Navy personnel and their close contacts and 641 persons connected to the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation centre have tested positive in the island.

According to the Sri Lanka Army, the Kandakadu cluster includes 519 detainees undergoing rehabilitation, 67 staff members, 48 family members and close associates, and five guest staffers. The Sri Lanka Army added that 626 of them have recovered thus far and only 14 persons connected to the Centre are currently under medical care.

A total of 185 persons are currently receiving treatment, including 83 at the Welikanda Base Hospital, 71 at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), 28 at the Iranawila Hospital, and three at the Colombo East Base Hospital.

In addition to this, there are 56 persons being monitored at various hospitals owing to suspicions of having COVID-19. This includes 20 persons at the Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) Hospital.

Only one person recovered during the 24-hour period ending at 10 a.m. yesterday and the individual was discharged from the NIID. The total number of COVID-19 recoveries in the island is 2,926 and the Health Promotion Bureau calculated the country’s recovery rate as 93.69%.

With 12 COVID-19-related deaths reported thus far, Sri Lanka’s fatality rate is 0.38%. In addition to this, the Health Promotion Bureau stated that 241,631 PCR tests have been performed in the island, including 1,724 on Sunday.

Meanwhile, 32 persons left quarantine centres (QC) yesterday having completed the process. The Sri Lanka Army, in a statement issued yesterday, said, “Of them, four persons are from the Nipuna Boossa QC, six persons are from the Passara UDMI QC, one person is from the Hotel Mount Lavinia QC, nine persons are from the Heikiththa QC, and 12 persons are from the Hotel Paradise QC.”

They added that 38,359 persons have left quarantine centres thus far, while 6,610 persons are currently undergoing quarantine at 63 centres managed by the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy, and Sri Lanka Air Force.

The Sri Lanka Army added that 86 persons from Norway, 75 persons from Qatar, 20 persons from Dubai, 11 persons from Germany, two persons from India, and two persons from Japan arrived in the island yesterday and have been directed to quarantine centres.

“Since no positive cases have been reported from society other than those arriving from overseas, all Sri Lankans are urged to continue their health practices and help prevention of its transmission as per instructions given by health authorities,” the Sri Lanka Army added.