COLOMBO – Sri Lanka recorded two more COVID-19 related deaths on Saturday (28), as the novel coronavirus tally increased to 22,988 with 487 new cases confirmed during the course of the day.
The Department of Government Information in a statement announcing the deaths identified the deceased as a 76-year –old-male from Colombo 2 and a 96-year-old female from Colombo 8.
The male had died on admission to the Colombo General Hospital, with the cause of death determined to be high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease aggravated due to COVID-19 virus infection, while the 02 had died at her residence of COVID pneumonia complicated by asthma.
The statement said Director General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardena, had confirmed both deaths to be COVID-19 related, taking the COVID fatality count to 109
Ninety six deaths have now been officially recorded since October 24, and 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 Thursday, the Minuwangoda/Peliyagoda cluster had recorded 19,450 cases with the 487 cases confirmed during the course of the day.
According to the Department of Government Information daily update, all of Saturday’s confirmations are linked to the Peliyagoda cluster and take Sri Lanka’s novel coronavirus count to 22,988 with 16,656 being deemed recovered and discharged under the new health ministry guidelines, and 6,223 receiving treatment at various designated hospitals across the country.
-ENCL