3,443 persons test positive for COVID-19; health officers call for 2-week lockdown

• Dr. Fernandopulle recommends restrictions for at least two weeks
• Similar views held by the AMS and GMOA
• Total patient count rises to 154,786
• 30,203 persons under medical care, recoveries rise to 123,532

By Shailendree 

Wickrama Adittiya

Health officers have called for an island-wide lockdown as COVID-19 detections rise with 3,443 COVID-19 positive persons yesterday.

Explaining that a rapid spread of COVID-19 can be seen in society and an increase in COVID-19-related deaths with the spread of the B117 UK variant, Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control State Minister Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle yesterday said the public must act responsibly.

When asked if an island-wide lockdown was necessary, she said: “We definitely recommend keeping people at home for at least two weeks. By doing so, we can control the spread of this disease. As a community physician, this is what I recommend.”

“During this pandemic, we see an increase in the number of patients with complications, overcrowding in hospitals as well as an increased need for oxygen machines and equipment. Close to 3,500 patients were detected [on Wednesday] and there could be three times more patients in society,” Dr. Fernandopulle added.

Meanwhile, the Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) on Wednesday wrote to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa calling for an urgent need for a stricter lockdown of a minimum of 14 days.

AMS acknowledged the Government’s efforts in handling the influx of patients but stressed that: “no country in the world has been able to control the pandemic by expanding bed strength, oxygen supply, ventilators or ICUs. This is a temporary and quite expensive solution useful only in managing the symptomatic.”

The AMS states that restrictions are a sustainable, long-lasting and speedy solution and added that the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) and other medical academic bodies are of the same view.

“We believe that although such measures could bring greater hardships mostly to poorer segments of the society, scientific methods should be adopted for an effective and productive outcome at this critical juncture,” the statement read.

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) also called for a 14-day lockdown, saying COVID-19 could not be controlled by expanding treatment facilities alone. GMOA Secretary Dr. Shenal Fernando stated that the organisation would request from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in writing that travel restrictions or quarantine curfew is imposed for 14 days.

According to the Department of Government Information, the COVID-19 patients detected yesterday include 3,441 persons from the New Year cluster. The Divulapitiya, Peliyagoda, Prisons and New Year clusters have expanded to 148,406 patients.

Of the four clusters, the Peliyagoda cluster remains the largest with 82,785 patients. However, the New Year cluster which emerged less than a month ago had 53,825 patients at 10 a.m. yesterday. The Prisons cluster had 5,296 patients and the Divulapitiya cluster had 3,059 patients.

The country’s imported cases include 4,148 Sri Lankan returnees from abroad and 316 foreigners. This includes the 3,623 COVID-19 patients detected on Wednesday, of which 3,591 were linked to the New Year cluster, 31 were Sri Lankan returnees from abroad, and one was a foreign arrival.

According to the Health Promotion Bureau, 25,713 PCR tests were performed on Wednesday. Of the patients detected on Wednesday, 761 were from Gampaha, 493 were from Kalutara, and 275 were from Galle.

The Epidemiology Unit states that 42,247 persons from Colombo, 28,306 persons from Gampaha, 12,707 persons from Kalutara, 7,338 persons from Kurunegala, and 6,118 persons from Kandy have tested positive for COVID-19 to date.

A total of 154,786 persons have tested positive for COVID-19 to date and 29,540 persons are currently under medical care. The active patients include 619 persons at the Punani Treatment Centre, 502 persons at the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital, and 473 persons at the Bingiriya Treatment Centre.

Hospitals also have 1,824 persons suspected of having COVID-19 under observation.

According to the Epidemiology Unit, 1,165 persons were discharged from treatment centres yesterday having recovered from the virus. This includes 72 persons from the Sripali Horana ITC, 66 persons from the Punani Treatment Centre and 64 persons from the Kamburugamuwa Hospital.

A total of 123,532 persons have recovered from COVID-19 to date.