4,562 persons test positive for COVID-19; over 5,000 delayed cases added to total

• Total patient count rises to 436,081, includes 323,090 from New Year cluster
• 162,101 patients detected from Western Province during third wave
• 55,098 persons under medical or home-based care
• COVID-19 recoveries rise to 371,992

By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya-Tuesday, 31 August 2021

Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 detections rose to 436,081 with 4,562 COVID-19 new cases yesterday and the addition of over 5,000 delayed cases to the country’s total.

The Epidemiology Unit states that a total of 5,350 COVID-19 cases detected between 24 and 27 August were yesterday added to the total COVID-19 patient count after verification.

Meanwhile, more data discrepancies were yesterday pointed out with Trincomalee Regional Director of Health Services Dr. B.G.M Costa saying close to 9,000 COVID-19 patients have been detected from Trincomalee District thus far.

“In August alone, 4,000 COVID-19 patients were detected, and 232 COVID-19 deaths have been reported during the third wave,” Dr. Costa said.

However, the Epidemiology Unit’s situation report published yesterday shows a total of 3,700 COVID-19 detections from Trincomalee and only 3,045 detections during the third wave.

Health officials state that the patients detected yesterday were from the New Year cluster. According to the Health Promotion Bureau, 13,696 PCR tests were carried out yesterday.

On Sunday, 13,446 PCR tests and 4,384 rapid antigen tests were carried out and 4,612 COVID-19 positive persons were detected. This includes 4,608 persons from the New Year cluster and four persons from the Prisons cluster.

The total patient count of the New Year cluster is 323,090 and the patient count of the Prisons cluster is 8,158.

In addition to this, the country’s local cases also include 82,785 persons from the Peliyagoda cluster and 3,059 persons from the Divulapitiya cluster.

The country’s imported cases consist of 6,835 Sri Lankans and 328 foreigners. According to the Epidemiology Unit, 97,663 patients from Colombo, 78,708 patients from Gampaha, 43,619 patients from Kalutara, 23,825 patients from Galle, and 20,830 patients from Kurunegala have tested positive for COVID-19 to date.

Third wave detections include 65,366 persons from Colombo, 60,174 persons from Gampaha, 36,561 persons from Kalutara, 21,176 persons from Galle, and 17,609 persons from Kurunegala.

Meanwhile, 10 parliamentarians tested positive for COVID-19 in August, the latest to contract the virus being Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Kurunegala District MP Asanka Navarathne. He posted on Facebook yesterday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and requested all persons he came into contact with in the last few days to self-quarantine.

Despite a quarantine curfew in place until 6 September, crowds can be seen on the street, with no severe restrictions enforced on travel. When questioned about this, Health Promotion Bureau Director Dr. Ranjith Batuwanthudawa agreed, saying: “If this continues, it will become difficult to control the disease.”

At present, 55,098 persons are under medical or home-based care, with 3,307 persons suspected of having COVID-19 under observation.

According to the Epidemiology Unit, 2,182 persons left hospitals yesterday, raising the country’s COVID-19 recoveries to 371,992.