Seven new patients bring total COVID-19 cases to 3,147

• Recoveries rise to 2,946, 11 persons discharged yesterday
• 189 active cases in the island

By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya

Seven persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the island to 3,147.

This includes 17 persons who tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday and the Sri Lanka Army states five of them are returnees from Qatar and three are returnees from Kuwait. This brings the number of overseas arrivals to test positive in the island to 1,236. Of the imported cases, 46 are foreigners.

The remaining cases are local cases of which 950 are Navy personnel and their close contacts.

The Sri Lanka Army adds that nine of the cases identified on Monday were detainees of the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre and the Kandakadu cluster has now expanded to 649 persons. Of them, 528 are detainees, 67 are staff members, 48 are family members and close associates, and five are guest staffers.

However, only 15 persons connected to the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre are currently under medical care as 634 persons have recovered.

According to the Epidemiology Unit, the total number of COVID-19 recoveries in the island has risen to 2,946 with the recovery of 11 persons, including four foreigners, yesterday. Of the new recoveries, six persons were discharged from the Welikanda Base Hospital, three persons were discharged from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), and two persons were discharged from the Iranawila Hospital.

To date, 12 COVID-19 related deaths have been reported in the island.

As for the number of persons under medical care, the Epidemiology Unit states that 189 persons are currently receiving treatment at various hospitals. This includes 81 at the Welikanda Base Hospital, 70 at the NIID, 29 at the Iranawila Hospital, and two at the Colombo East Base Hospital. Eight of the active cases are foreigners.

There are also 63 persons being monitored at various hospitals over suspicions of having COVID-19. Of them, 14 are at the Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital, 13 are at the Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) Hospital, and 11 are at the Welisara Chest Hospital.

A total of 136 persons left quarantine centres yesterday, the Sri Lanka Army stated. This includes 65 persons from the Punani Quarantine Centre, 29 persons from the Camelot Beach Hotel Quarantine Centre, 13 persons from the Negombo Kaya Leisure Quarantine Centre, and nine persons from the Hekiththa Quarantine Centre.

In addition to this, seven persons left the Club Hotel Dolphin Quarantine Centre, seven persons from the Nipuna Boossa Quarantine Centre, four persons from the Norochcholai Quarantine Centre, and two persons from the Rajagiriya Ayurvedic Quarantine Centre.

A total of 38,863 persons have left quarantine centres thus far and 6,176 persons are currently undergoing the process at 57 centres managed by the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy, and Sri Lanka Air Force.

The Sri Lanka Army added that 238 persons from Saudi Arabia, 73 persons from India, 28 persons from Qatar, and nine persons from Dubai arrived in the island yesterday and have been directed to quarantine centres.