Twelve police divisions in Colombo city will remain isolated although the curfew in the Western Province is withdrawn tomorrow. The reason is the spread of COVID-19 in these police areas.
The isolated police divisions are,
Mattakkuliya, Modara, Bloemandahl, Kotahena, Grandpass, Coastal, Aduruppu Weediya, Maligawatta, Dematogoda, Wellampitiya, Borella and Keselwatta.
The official said that the government bears around Rs. 6,000 per a test for the test alone. Laboratory Technicians' Union Chairman Ravi Kumudesh said that the cost for a test is as high as Rs. 10,000 with safety equipment and other costs.
Sri Lanka has conducted 590,435 PCR tests, according to COVID-19 Live Situational Analysis Dashboard of Health Promotion Bureau. Health sources say that a minimum of three PCR tests is required to verify a COVID-19 case.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has provided Sri Lanka with 50,000 Rapid Antigen Test kits and the stock is expected to arrive in the country today, November 8th.
Rapid Antigen Test in which the protein antibodies in the infected person’s blood is tested is a low-cost field test that brings results faster. However, there is a lack of sensitivity in the new test when compared to the PCR test, State Minister Channa Jayasumana said to media.
Rapid Antigen Test delivers results in 20 minutes and it will be used prior to using the costlier PCR test for further testing, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said.
(Cover photo: Times of India, mentioned price is Indian Rs.)
Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) of Sri Lanka protested the withdrawal of curfew in the entire Western Province on Monday without proper study.
Haritha Aluthge, editor of GMOA said that there was a threat of the coronavirus spreading throughout the country if the country is opened without necessary precautions like travel restrictions to risk areas.
He said that the creation of new clusters must be prevented and the already identified clustered managed.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sri Lankan civil society is silently but strongly marking their protest against the government's inhuman forcible cremation of a 20-da...
