Sri Lanka ranked 16th among high risk countries for COVID - 19

COLOMBO (News1st): Sri Lanka has been ranked as the 16th high-risk country for COVID-19, an analysis carried out among 150 countries has shown. Deep Knowledge Group, an international scientific research organization, this week released the results of its first analysis, in which countries were ranked on risk, safety, and treatment. The analysis had been conducted using data obtained from reliable organizations such as the World Health Organization, John Hopkins University, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the organization said. The framework to determine high-risk countries included four major categories; Infection Spread Risk, Government Management, Healthcare Efficiency, Regional Specific Risks. "Deep Knowledge Group will also be periodically releasing new ranking frameworks designed to account for wide-ranging aspects of the COVID-19 crisis, including economic vulnerability," the organization said on its website. Sri Lanka -- which is gearing for its general election and has reported seven deaths due to the coronavirus -- was ranked 15th among the Asia Pacific countries, with 'low level' safety. Italy which has recorded 21,645 deaths and more than 150,000 cases was listed as the country with the highest risk, followed by the US which has a 21.4 trillion dollar economy, UK, and Spain. International Monetary Fund backed heavyweights Germany and Japan were among the list of top 10 countries in terms of efficiency ranking coming in first and ninth respectively. Austria and UAE did not secure a spot in the top 10 safe countries, despite being ranked among the top 10 countries with efficient treatment systems. Sri Lanka, from which 238 confirmed cases have been reported, has tightened measures by imposing lockdown style curfews, suspending flight arrivals, increasing quarantine facilities, and taking steps to scale up testing. However, the government is eyeing the possibility of relaxing these regulations to prepare for the election, a move critics say would result in dire consequences for the south-asian island which is in an economic crisis.