Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Saturday, 11 December 2021 00:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 case count rose to 571,426 with the detection of 754 COVID-19 positive persons yesterday.
The patients detected yesterday include 752 persons from the New Year cluster and two overseas arrivals. The Health Promotion Bureau states that 9,767 PCR tests were conducted.
The previous day, 7,580 PCR tests and 4,971 rapid antigen tests were conducted. COVID-19 patients detected on Thursday include 743 persons from the New Year cluster and one Sri Lankan overseas arrival.
The Epidemiology Unit states that 466,540 patients have been detected from the New Year cluster, 82,785 patients have been detected from the Peliyagoda cluster, 9,054 patients have been detected from the Prisons cluster, and 3,059 patients have been detected from the Divulapitiya cluster.
The country’s imported cases include 6,992 Sri Lankan overseas returnees and 328 foreigners. The district distribution of COVID-19 patients shows 115,882 detections from Colombo, 99,129 detections from Gampaha, 53,299 patients from Kalutara, 36,002 detections from Galle, and 27,926 detections from Kurunegala.
During the third wave of the pandemic, 83,585 patients from Colombo, 80,595 patients from Gampaha, and 46,241 patients from Kalutara were detected.
At present, 12,653 persons are under medical or home-based care and 2,485 persons suspected of having COVID-19 are under observation. The country’s COVID-19 recoveries rose to 544,200 with 377 persons released from care yesterday.
Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday urged the public to adhere to safety guidelines in order to prevent the formation of another COVID-19 cluster during the festive season.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry yesterday issued a circular removing the requirement for pre-departure COVID-19 testing of children below 12 years. All passengers over 12 years must carry a negative PCR report done within 72 hours of embarkation.
Travellers who contracted COVID-19 in the past three months must carry a negative rapid antigen test report done 48 hours prior to embarkation.
“They should carry a diagnosis card or verifiable evidence or positive PCR report or positive rapid antigen test report as proof of past history of illness,” the circular signed by Health Services Director General Dr. Asela Gunawardena stated.
