COLOMBO – In a scenario where multiple COVID-19 deaths are becoming a daily occurrence, Sri Lanka recorded five more COVID-19 related fatalities on Sunday (15), taking the country’s novel coronavirus death toll to 58. Six deaths were reported on Wednesday (11), two on Thursday (12) and five on Friday (13). Sunday also recorded 704 new cases, taking the country’s COVID-19 tally to 17,287
The Department of Government Information in a statement announcing the multiple deaths, identified the deceased as all males, two of them aged 88, a third aged 79, and the other two aged 54 and 39. Three of them had died at the National Hospital Colombo, while one had died at home.
The statement said the two 88-year-olds, one from Colombo 12 and the other from Colombo 13, had died on admission to the National Hospital Colombo, both suffering from chest pains. The cause of death in both cases had been determined to be heart attacks caused by COVID-19 infection.
The 79-year-old also from Colombo 12, had died at home and the cause of death had been determined to be aggravation of a chronic lung disease due to COVID-19 infection.
Meanwhile the 54-year -old from Jinthupitiya, Colombo 13, and the 39-year-old from Colombo 15, were both described as cancer patients, with the former, who died at the National Hospital Colombo, determined to have died due to exacerbation of the cancer due to COVID-19 infection. The 39-year-old, the statement said, had died at the Homagama Hospital, where he was diagnosed as COVID-19 positive. The cause of death had been determined to be cancer and COVID-pneumonia.
The statement said Director General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardena, had confirmed all five deaths to be COVID-19 related, taking the COVID fatality count to 58.
Forty four deaths have now been officially recorded since October 24, following the emergence of a new and more virulent strain of the virus in a new cluster in Minuwangoda, with the apparel factory in the area as the epicentre earlier in the month. Since then the cluster has seen sub-clusters in several parts of the country, with the largest case load reported from the Peliyagoda fish market. As of Sunday, the Minuwangoda/Peliyagoda cluster had recorded 13,788 cases with 704 testing positive for the virus during the course of the day.
According to the Department of Government Information daily update, all the case confirmed Sunday are persons linked to the Peliyagoda cluster and take Sri Lanka’s novel coronavirus count to 17,287 with 11,495 being deemed recovered and discharged under the new health ministry guidelines that don’t require multiple PCR tests, and 5,734 receiving treatment at various designated hospitals across the country.
Meanwhile, Maradana, Fort, Pettah, Slave Island and Dam Street in central Colombo are slated to be placed under isolation effective 5:00 a.m. Monday (16) until further notice, with Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva saying the areas would be added to the places already under isolation in Colombo.
He said Negombo, Ja-Ela, Ragama, Kadawatha, Wattala, Peliyagoda and Kelaniya will also continue to be placed under isolation. Travel restrictions imposed in the Western Province on Thursday (12) evening is to be lifted at midnight on Sunday (15).
The National Operations Centre for the Prevention of the spread-of COVID-l9 meanwhile announced that factories under the Board of Investment (BoI) and Exports Development Board (EDB) in Maradana, Fort, Pettah, Slave Island and Dam Street Police Divisions, the courts and other essential government institutions would be allowed to operate under health guidelines and strict supervision of the health authorities.
-ENCL