UPDATE ON NEW COVID 19 CLUSTER AND CONTAINMENT MEASURE TAKEN PLACE

As on 8^th of Oct:

After almost two months of successfully mitigating the spread of COVID-19, a sudden unexpected surge of new cases has given way to renewed fears of community transmission in the country.

The total number of patients identified in the island has thus increased to 4,478, of which 1,188 are currently receiving treatment at various hospitals. This includes 211 persons at the Kamburugamuwa Hospital, 133 persons at the Hambantota District General Hospital, and 119 persons at the Welikanda Base Hospital. Hospitals are also monitoring 289 persons suspected of having COVID-19. The number of COVID-19 recoveries rose to 3,278 yesterday, with four persons from the Welikanda Base Hospital being discharged, the Epidemiology Unit stated.Minuwangoda Cluster

Source: Roar media

The Divulapitiya cluster has expanded to 1,034 with 202 more persons connected to the garment manufacturing facility testing positive for COVID-19 yesterday. This makes it the largest cluster identified in the island thus far, with the Welisara Naval Camp cluster affecting 950 Navy personnel and their contacts and the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre cluster affecting 651 persons. The cases identified yesterday bring the total number of COVID-19 cases identified in the island to 4,459, with 207 cases identified yesterday. According to the Epidemiology Unit, 1,172 persons are currently receiving treatment at various hospitals, while 201 persons are being monitored over suspicions of having COVID-19. Army Commander and National Operation Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) Head Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva yesterday stated that finding the source of the cluster was extremely important but proving to be difficult given the large number of patients.

“There is some difficulty in finding the source because many patients are being identified. If one patient is identified, it is easier to find the source, but when 101 patients are identified at once, we need to trace back all 101 persons to find the source,” he said, adding that the large numbers of patients being identified every few hours meant that the focus group of investigations kept expanding. Silva added that all employees, including full-time and temporary employees, of the garment manufacturing facility have now been subjected to PCR tests. All results of the full-time employees have been received. He denied allegations of foreign workers at the factory but noted there had been complaints of workers exhibiting symptoms of the virus since 21 September.

While investigations to locate the source of the spread continue, the Sri Lanka Police yesterday announced that indefinite curfew has been imposed in 18 Police jurisdictions yesterday, including Seeduwa in the Negombo Division, Ja-Ela and Kandana in the Kelaniya Division, and Divulapitiya in the Negombo Division. Curfew has also been imposed in Gampaha, Ganemulla, Kirindiwela, Dompe, Malwatuhiripitiya, Meerigama, Nittambuwa, Pugoda, Veyangoda, Minuwangoda, Viragula, Weliweriya, Pallewela and Yakkala in the Gampaha Division. While curfew is in place, persons of these areas will not be permitted to leave the house, and no one can enter or exit these areas. Long distance buses will be permitted to travel through these areas, but buses and trains will not be permitted to stop or pick or drop passengers. The Police, Defence officials, and health officials are taking necessary measures regarding the COVID-19 situation in the country. The Health Ministry also issued a statement on patients refusing to be taken to treatment facilities in ambulance services arranged by the Ministry, adding that refusing treatment was a punishable offence. The Ministry, in a separate statement, announced that the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital (NFTH) has been converted to a COVID-19 treatment facility. The three-complex hospital has 400 beds dedicated for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

All government, private and international schools, as well as Buddhist religious ‘Daham Pasal’ have been closed until further notice. Tuition classes in the Gampaha and neighboring Colombo district have also been temporarily halted. In addition to these, health authorities have directed the public’s attention to health regulations published as the country came out of a three-month lockdown in May, noting that many had taken light of the situation and were not taking precautions as they should. Head of the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health, Chief Epidemiologist Dr Sudath Samaraweera reminded the public they must not socialize any more than needed, need to stay at home as much as possible, and to maintain a minimum of 1-metre distance from each other when out in public, as well as to ensure that face masks are worn when out and to ensure that hands are washed frequently.

References

Roar media
Newsfirst website
Daily FT

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