632 persons test positive for COVID-19

Wednesday, 9 March 2022 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

2,227 delayed cases added to total after verification
COVID-19 case count rises to 653,661
Includes 548,554 persons from New Year cluster and 7,235 Sri Lankan overseas returnees
18,925 persons currently receiving treatment

By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya

Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 detections rose to 653,661 following the detection of 632 COVID-19 cases yesterday and the addition to over 2,000 delayed cases.

According to the Epidemiology Unit, 2,227 COVID-19 cases detected between 1 February and 15 February were added to the total yesterday after verification.

The Department of Government Information states that all cases detected yesterday were from the New Year cluster.

The previous day, 662 patients linked to the New Year cluster were detected. On Monday, 3,542 PCR tests and 1,785 rapid antigen tests were conducted, the Health Promotion Bureau states. The country’s COVID-19 detections include 548,554 persons from the New Year cluster, 82,785 persons from the Peliyagoda cluster, 9,154 persons from the Prisons cluster and 3,059 persons from the Divulapitiya cluster.

In terms of imported cases, 7,235 Sri Lankan returnees from overseas and 328 foreigners have tested positive for COVID-19.

According to the Epidemiology Unit, 135,963 patients from Colombo, 113,097 patients from Gampaha, 57,598 patients from Kalutara, 44,515 patients from Galle, and 31,004 patients from Kurunegala have been detected.

During the third wave of the pandemic, 103,666 persons from Colombo, 94,563 persons from Gampaha, and 50,540 persons from Kalutara tested positive for COVID-19. At present, 18,925 persons are under medical or home-based care and 1,159 persons suspected of having COVID-19 are under observation.

The Epidemiology Unit states that 124 persons were discharged from treatment centres yesterday, raising the country’s COVID-19 recoveries to 618,386.