10,000 in self quarantine & 3063 in quarantine centres

COLOMBO (News 1st): 07 new cases of COVID-19 were detected in Sri Lanka on Saturday(21) bringing the total number of cases in the island nation to 77.

The National Operations Centre for Preventing of COVID-19 in its situation report said, 48 cases are Sri Lankans who returned from overseas and 27 are those who closely associated those who returned from overseas. Health Officials are conducting tests to ascertain how the remaining two cases contracted the virus. In addition, Health Officials together with Sri Lanka Army, Intelligence Agencies, Sri Lanka Police and PHIs have identified 10,000 people and instructed them to undergo self quarantine. The Mulleriyawa Colombo East Hospital is now equipped to treat confirmed COVID-19 cases in addition to the Infectious Diseases Hospital. The Hospital was upgraded by the Sri Lanka Air Force on the recommendations of specialist doctors. In addition, the Neville Fernando Hospital is ready to provide treatment for expectant mothers suspected of having COVID-19. The Homagama Base Hospital is also ready to treat COVID-19 cases while the Sri Lanka Army is upgrading the Voice of America Building compex for the same purpose. The National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 noted, an intensive unit with 30 beds at the Werahera premises of the Kotelawala Defence University is ready to attend confirmed cases. As of the 21st of March, 3063 people are being treated and monitored at 22 quarantine centres with 31 Foreign Nationals among them. Of the 77 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 69 are treated at IDH, 04 at the Anuradhapura Hospital & 03 at the Welikanda Base Hospital