13 deaths in Sri Lanka within a weak due to COVID-19

13 deaths occurred with a week in Sri Lanka due to COVID-19. 

Four deaths were reported yesterday, Tuesday, 7 November 2020. 

Two deaths were reported from Maligawatta in Colombo city. A 42-year-old woman died of a heart attack. She suffered from a chronic illness. The other woman is 69 years old. She suffered from many illnesses and died in National Hospital due to pneumonia. 

A male person of 69 years old died at home due to pneumonia. He too was suffering from illnesses for a long time. 

A 88 years old woman of Ganemulla in Gampaha district died at Laggama Pallegama hospital in Matale district due to pneumonia. She was diagnosed positive for COVID-19 while in quarantine. She is an associate of a patient of Minuwangoda cluster. 

The number of cases identified yesterday was 449. The total number of deaths is 34. 

Guidelines for home quarantine - Health Promotion Bureau

Health Promotion Bureau of Sri Lanka Ministry of Health issued guidelines for people who are under home quarantine. 

The persons who have either associated or suspected of associating a COVID-19 person but do not show symptoms must undergo self-quarantine at home. 

If the associate is a first-level contact of a COVID-19 patient the entire family must undergo home quarantine. 

• However, the family members do not need to undergo home quarantine in the following circumstances: Family members of the persons who undergo home quarantine following recovery from COVID-19
• Family members of the persons who undergo home quarantine after completing quarantine at a quarantine centre after returning from abroad

The person must be subject to home quarantine for 14 days since the last day the suspected association happened. However, the number of days may increase under instructions of the health officials if a family member is diagnosed positive for COVID-19.

The persons under home quarantine must not leave home in any circumstances. Visitors must not be received.

The house needs to be well-ventilated. 

The residents of the house must keep a one-meter distance from each other. 

The residents must wear masks when talking to each other. 

Do not touch the face, mouth, nose or eyes with contaminated hands. 

Everyone must wash hands often with soap and water at least for 20 seconds. When you do not have handwashing facilities, clean hands with sanitizer. 

If possible, measure the temperature of all the members of the household twice a day. 

Keep the elderly persons and patients with chronic illnesses away from the others of the household. 

Patients with chronic diseases must continue taking medicine regularly. 

Quarantine at home, patients with no symptoms admitted to transit centers in Sri Lanka

Director of Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka Dr. Sudath Samaraweera said that the quarantine of the associates of the COVID-19 patients will be done at home in future. 

Only the persons like patients with chronic illnesses who cannot undergo home quarantine will be admitted to a quarantine centre.  

The persons under home quarantine will be freed after 14 days following a PCR test. 

The chief epidemiologist further said that the COVID-19 patients who do not show symptoms have no risk would not be admitted to hospitals. They will be kept in transit centres. They will be freed after 14 days without PCR tests, according to international standards. 

New COVID-19 cases identified from Gampaha declining

Secretary of Public Health Inspectors' Association of Sri Lanka, Mahendra Balasuriya said that there is a drop of newly identified COVID-19 patients in Gampaha district. The official highlighted that the people in the district are better in terms of following health guidelines. The district is under curfew for more than a month now. 

However, about half of the 400 new COVID-19 cases identified yesterday was from Gampaha district. 

Two bodies of elephant cubs in Sri Lanka suspected twins

Dead bodies of two newborn elephant cubs were recovered from Welikanda area of Polonnaruwa district of Sri Lanka. 

The deaths are believed to happen around November 5, immediately after birth, Assistant Director of Wildlife in charge of the area W.M.K.S. Chandraratne said.

Wildlife officials are investigating whether the dead cubs are twins. One of the cubs is identified as male while the other body is charred beyond the identity of sex, the Wildlife Officials say. 

Twin birth of elephants is a rare occurrence and such birth reported from Minneriya National Park of Sri Lanka in July 2020. 

Additional three months grace period for the low-interest COVID-19 business revival loans

The entrepreneurs who obtained the low-interest government loan to revive businesses affected by COVID-19 can now apply to Central Bank of Sri Lanka for an extension up to nine months to pay back the loan. 

The interest for this loan was 4% and the recipients were given 24 months to payback. The government previously offered six months grace period and now the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has agreed to provide three more months as a grace period. The businesses affected by the impact of the second wave of COVID-19 can submit a written request to Central Bank via the bank they obtained the loan to get this facility. 

Holding GCE Advanced Level examination in Sri Lanka amidst COVID-19 is a victory

Sri Lanka Minister of Education Prof. G.L. Peiris said that holding GCE Advanced Level examination amidst COVID-19 was a victory.

The  Minister said that six candidates were found positive for coronavirus by the beginning of the examination. Within three weeks, the number increased to 29. The number of candidates who were sent for quarantine was 568. Invigilators had to be replaced due to the virus. 

Examination Commissioner Sanath Pujitha said that the decision rearding evaluation of the examination will be taken two weeks later under the guidelimes of the health authorities.