579 test positive as COVID-19 tally tops 38,500
DG Health Services orders body of Galle COVID-dead be cremated, says cremation still mandatory
COLOMBO – Another 579 individuals tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday (23), taking Sri Lanka’s novel coronavirus tally to over 38,500, while the fatalities count increased to184, with one death reported from Kalutara South.
The Department of Government Information in a statement announcing the death, identified the deceased is a 71-year-old male cancer patient from Kalutara South who had died at his residence. The cause of death was determined to be cancer and COVID-related blood poisoning.
The statements said Director General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardena, had confirmed the deaths to be COVID-19 related, taking the fatality count to 184.
Wednesday COVID-positive confirmations take Sri Lanka’s novel coronavirus count to 38,639 with 29,882 being deemed recovered and discharged under the new health ministry guidelines, and 8,573 receiving treatment at various designated hospitals across the country.
The Department of Government Information said all 579 cases confirmed on Wednesday are linked to Peliyagoda/prison cluster, which has now expanded to 34,960 cases.
The new and more virulent strain of the virus emerged when new cluster in Minuwangoda was discovered in early October, with the apparel factory in the area as the epicentre. Since then the cluster has seen sub-clusters in several parts of the country, including a prison cluster, with the largest case load reported from the Peliyagoda fish market.
Meanwhile, Director General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardene, on Wednesday advised the Galle police to cremate the body of a Muslim COVID-19 victim in line with the government circular issued on the disposal of the COVID-dead.
Reportedly the Galle Magistrate’s Court had earlier this week ordered the body be kept in cold storage until further advice from Health Authorities, after the family petition the court regarding the government cremation order.
However, Director Health Services Director in a letter dated Wednesday (23), ordered the Galle police to dispose the body, after informing the Court of his instructions.
He also issued a separate clarification to all hospital authorities regarding his previous letter to Justice Minister Ali Sabry regarding storing unclaimed bodies of Muslim COVID-dead in refrigerated containers and requesting the justice ministry to provide the containers.
However, on Wednesday, he said the letter to the justice minister had been misinterpreted by many as an official circular, noting it was only a letter of request for cold containers to store the bodies.
Dr. Gunawardena said the request has no effect on mandatory cremation applied for COVID 19 victims in Sri Lanka and that cremation will be the process followed at present.
-ENCL