Coronavirus Updates

Sri Lanka to Coronavirus test high risk groups on algorithm, Covid-19 count 665

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka is widening Coronavirus tests to several high risk groups who do not show symptoms while doctors treating patients have also been given the right to ask for a Covid-19 test, a top official said, in a sharp reduction in barriers to testing outside discovered clusters.

On Tuesday 16 persons were confirmed taking the total to 665 persons.





Director of Sri Lanka’s Health Service Anil Jasinghe said out of 16 persons confirmed 09 were from the Navy, relating to the Welisara camp and elsewhere.

Another person was found from quarantine camp. Another person was also found from Dabare Mawatha, a person who was linked to the original patient from the area, who lived outside the area.

Relating to the Suduwella cluster in Ja-Ela, five persons were found from a quarantine centre from among persons who were in the centre for some time.

Asymptomatic Algorithm
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“We have prepared an algorithm to conduct PCR tests around Sri Lanka,” Jasinghe told Sri Lanka’s privately owned Derana Television on Friday.

“We had improved this. For example in Colombo, ground level samples are taken for testing. It can be other institutions. If we think three wheeler drivers, or in some built up areas we can take samples and test.

“We have not found patients in a large scale from this. We found only a few according to the tests we have done.

“Yesterday we did 1397 we did in the 24 hours to 1700h.”

Under the current algorithm, a portion of the daily test volume is allocated to designated hospitals where Coronavirus patients are treated, a portion to patients admitted with fever to other, a portion to patients who have respiratory conditions which are not directly suspected to be Coronavirus.

All first contacts are now being tests and if necessary second contacts, he said. Samples of health service staff are also being tested.

“If a doctor who is treating a patient thinks that the patient could have the disease and insistes on a test on a test, test will be performed,” Jasinghe said.

Test Denial

Medical sources said a surgeon who wanted to test a person who was from a high risk area was denied a test by his superior and the virologist leading to an altercation as he insisted on the test.

The doctor was forced to perform the procedure before the results came with only half the staff wearing personal protective equipment, and the test had come back as positive the following day.

The doctor told colleagues that there was poor knowledge of ‘risk assessment’ among his superiors.

Sri Lanka had earlier denied PCT tests to a wide range of asymptomatic persons based on a wide variety of reasons including that there should be an ‘indication’ to test.

At first PCR tests were denied to everyone except those already in hospital based on the reasoning that PCR tests was a ‘diagnostic’ test and not a ‘screening’ test.

Sri Lanka saw a rapid rise in Coronavirus cases as a Navy camp was infected and they were allowed to go on leave despite an ban on inter-district travel for ordinary citizens.

In some cases drivers of trucks transporting essential goods were asked by staff manning security check points to take the forces personnel home, television reports said.

Leave of tri-forces personnel were then cancelled and they were recalled to base.

Leave of police had also been cancelled until May 15.

Deputy Inspector General Ajith Rohana said it was to stop them from inter-district travel. Reports said random tests may also be carried out on police officers on road duty who meet many people.

The latest changes to the testing framework reduces the chance for the virus to spread and is in line with calls made by concerned observers who saw what is happening in countries which are successfully fighting Coronavirus.

Colombo-based Advocata Institute said limiting tests to those in clusters discovered from symptomatic persons was a serious flaw and asked for testing of high risk groups who may be asymptomatic.

The think tank has also asked for a current ban on private voluntary tests to be lifted so that businesses could test their front office staff, long distance drivers, cleaning staff or other high risk persons at their own expense.

South Korea encourages voluntary tests at state expenses, while many countries have allowed voluntary tests. (Colombo/May01/2020)

As of now...

Coronavirus Cases:
3,401,318

Deaths:
239,614

Recovered:
1,081,705

94,552 new cases world wide again higher from the previous day

5,624 more deaths slightely lower than previous 24 hours

New deaths in USA has reduced to 1,897 from previous day but new infections increased significantly to 36,007. Total cases in USA now @ 1,131,030 while total death count reached 65,753. President Trump assured the countrymen few weeks ago that he expect death count in USA from Corona virus to be less than 65,000 and here by 1st May they have clicked that mark.

Meanwhile we see continuation of higher deaths in UK and Brazil with 739 and 509 more deaths respectively for yesterday. UKs total death count stands at 27,510 just below the count in Italy and will surpass Italy soon to become the country with second highest death count.

Meanwhile Spain, Italy and France continue to have lower deaths having recording new death counts lower than 300.

Asia virus latest: Macau casino revenue plunges, Singapore rehouses migrant workers

AFP – Here are the latest developments from Asia related to the novel coronavirus pandemic:

– Macau casinos suffer historic earnings plunge –

Macau’s gaming revenue was virtually wiped out in April as casinos suffered their worst month on record owing to measures put in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the tourist-dependent city.

Gross gaming revenue was $95 million last month, official data showed — a drop of 97 percent from the $3 billion raked in during April 2019.

The former Portuguese colony shuttered all its casinos for two weeks in February as the virus burst out of central China but while they have since reopened, anti-virus measures still mean mainland visitors cannot enter the city, leaving casino tables devoid of gamblers.

– Fears of Afghanistan ‘disaster’ –

A US government watchdog said that Afghanistan risks a coronavirus disaster, even though the numbers of cases and deaths remain relatively low for the moment.

“Afghanistan’s numerous and, in some cases, unique vulnerabilities — a weak health-care system, widespread malnutrition, porous borders, massive internal displacement, contiguity with Iran, and ongoing conflict — make it likely the country will confront a health disaster in the coming months,” the office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction said in its quarterly report.

Afghanistan officials have so far confirmed 2,171 cases of COVID-19, including 64 deaths, but access to testing remains difficult and experts fear the true numbers could be much higher.

– Singapore moves migrant workers to empty cruise ships –

Singapore said it had begun moving migrant workers who had recovered from the coronavirus onto two unused cruise ships.

The vast majority of the city-state’s new infections are in sprawling dormitory complexes housing foreign workers, many of whom are labourers from South Asia.

To reduce the risk of infection in crowded dorms, many migrant workers have been moved to other sites including military barracks and vacant apartment blocks.

– Australia considers easing restrictions –

Australia will consider early easing of coronavirus restrictions next week, as the number of local cases dwindled and the economic impact of the crisis fell into painful relief.

Authorities have detected almost 7,000 COVID-19 infections, but new daily cases are now close to single figures and some parts of the country have not seen a case in more than a week.

Millions of Aussies have seen their work hours cut and the unemployment rate is set to roughly double to 10 percent as a result of the national lockdown.

Malaysia will meanwhile allow most businesses to reopen from next week after the number of new infections slowed markedly.

– Hong Kong police on alert for democracy rallies –

Riot police hit Hong Kong’s streets ahead of planned rallies by pro-democracy protesters who were looking to defy restrictions on gatherings during the pandemic to voice anger against authoritarian Chinese rule.

The semi-autonomous financial hub was upended by seven months of violent protests last year, hammering its reputation for stability and leaving the city deeply divided.

Small protests have bubbled up in the past week and activists are hoping to use May Day to muster numbers once more.

– Indonesians test positive after religious gathering –

At least 100 people in Indonesia who participated in a religious mass gathering in March tested positive for the virus, authorities said.

The pilgrimage organised by the Jamaah Tabligh group had been cancelled by the authorities at the last minute but thousands of participants from many countries were already on site.

– Japan aquarium asks public to phone eels –

A Tokyo aquarium closed during the coronavirus outbreak is asking people to make video calls to their eels so the sensitive creatures remember humans exist and don’t pose a threat.

The Sumida Aquarium has been closed since the start of March and its animals have become used to a largely human-free environment during the two-month calm.

But the aquarium said the “unprecedented situation” was having some unexpected downsides.

“Creatures in the aquarium don’t see humans except keepers and they have started forgetting about humans,” it said on its Twitter account.

Sri Lanka to resume work on May 11 amid partial Coronavirus curfew

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s state and government businesses should open from 1000am on May 11, though partial curfews will continue, the President’s office said.

“Civilians except those who are essentially required to report to work are requested to remain in their homes,” the President’s office said.

“While the curfew is in force in the districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara and Puttalam, the resumption of civilian life and state and private sector activities will begin from Monday, 11th May.

“People are allowed to leave their homes only to purchase essential items such as food and medicines. Corona prevention health recommendations should strictly be followed at each instance.”

Curfew in other districts of the island except in the districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara and Puttalam will only be effective from 8.00 pm to 5.00am everyday till Wednesday, the 06th of May, the President’s office said.

The curfew which will be imposed at 8.00pm on Wednesday, the 06th of May will continue till 5.00am on May 11th.

Sri Lanka has been aggressively contact tracing to contain a Coroanvirus outbreak but cases surged in April amid a denial of Coronavirus tests to high risk groups and infected navy officers on leave were allowed to travel out of the red zone in the Western province to other areas.

On May 01, 09 new patients were confirmed by late afternoon, the state information office said. Five were close associates of Sri Lanka Navy personnel, three were Sri Lanka Navy officers and one had been reported from Colombo.

By 2100 hours the total count had gone up to 690 persons.

Sri Lanka has since recalled all military officers on leave and testing has been widened to include some high risk groups. But voluntary tests are still denied to ordinary citizens.

“As a measure to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus the public must refrain from unnecessarily coming to roads and gathering at various other places,” the statement said.

“Buses belonging to Sri Lanka Transport Board and railway carriages can only transport employees who are reporting for work.”

US FDA gives emergency approval for remdesivir COVID-19 drug

AFP – The experimental drug remdesivir has been authorized by US regulators for emergency use against COVID-19, President Donald Trump announced Friday.

It comes after the antiviral made by Gilead Sciences was shown in a major clinical trial to shorten the time to recovery in some coronavirus patients, the first time any medicine has had a proven benefit against the disease.

“It is really a really promising situation,” Trump said at the White House, where he was joined by Gilead’s CEO Daniel O’Day.

“We are humbled with this first step for hospitalized patients,” said O’Day, adding: “We want to make sure nothing gets in the way of these patients getting the medicine.”

The company has previously announced it was donating some 1.5 million doses for free.

This amounts to about 140,000 treatment courses based on a 10-day treatment duration.

Remdesivir, which is administered by an injection, was already available to some patients who enrolled in clinical trials, or who sought it out on a “compassionate use” basis.

The new move allows it to be distributed far more widely and used in both adults and children who are hospitalized with a severe form of COVID-19.

The Food and Drug Administration, which authorized the approval, defines severe as having low blood oxygen levels, requiring oxygen therapy, or being on a ventilator.

The US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) announced the results of a trial involving more than 1,000 people on Wednesday.

It found that hospitalized COVID-19 patients with respiratory distress got better quicker than those on a placebo.

Specifically, patients on the drug had a 31 percent faster time to recovery.

“Although the results were clearly positive from a statistically significant standpoint, they were modest,” Anthony Fauci, the scientist who leads the NIAID told NBC News on Thursday.

While not considered a miracle cure, remdesivir’s trial achieved a “proof of concept,” according to Fauci that could pave the way for better treatments.

Remdesivir incorporates itself into the virus’s genome, short circuiting its replication process.

It was first developed to treat Ebola, a viral hemorrhagic fever, but did not boost survival rates as other medicines.

As of now...

Coronavirus Cases:
3,483,347

Deaths:
244,761

Recovered:
1,108,886

83,257 new cases world wide lower from the previous day

5,215 more deaths slightly lower than previous 24 hours

USA had 29,744 new cases followed by Russia' 9,623 & Brazil's 4,450.

New deaths in USA decreased to 1,691 and UK's decrease to 621 whereas in Italy the new death toll rises to 474.Frace recorded their lowest death count in weeks to 166.

As of now...

Coronavirus Cases:
3,566,295

Deaths:
248,286

Recovered:
1,154,061

Yet to see any orderly exit plan except still acting like blind muddling in a dark alley.

82,260 new cases world wide lower from the previous day

3,481 more deaths notably lower than previous 24 hours

We have seen drastic reduction in new deaths for last 24 hours where USA death count reduced to 1,154 UK rate dropped to 315 and Brazil rate drops to 275. Death counts in Spain, Italy & France too declined below 200 for the first time in so many weeks.

Can be a big relief if maintain the same numbers in the dates to come. However the risk is still the new cases being identified is 80,000+ every day.

Sri Lanka COVID 19 total breaches 700 mark

ECONOMYNEXT – The total number of COVID 19 positive patients in Sri Lanka since the outbreak in March this year has risen to 705 by mid-night last night the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health reported.

The last formal update from the government had given the number at 692 last evening May 3, 2020.

No information is yet available from government sources as to where the last few patients have been reported.

Of that number 296 patients are from the so-called Navy-cluster which includes sailors who were infected at the Navy camp at Welisara as well as friends and family who caught COVID 19 from sailors from the camp who went home on leave.

They crossed provincial and district lines against government restrictions and as a result the virus has spread to districts which had been free of the disease.

The government is also yet to report official for the cause of deaths of three people.

Two of them died while being quarantined. They were described as homeless people found at the Pettah bus stand at Gunasinghepura some weeks ago.

The authorities have not revealed the cause of death.

Questions are also being asked about the cause of death of an 80-year old resident of Piliyandala who reportedly passed away at the Shri Jayewardenepura Hospital on April 27 with acute respiratory sypmtoms.

Dr Jayantha Bandara of the All Ceylon Medical Officers Association told EconomyNext that a PCR test is said to have confirmed that he the deceased had COVID 19.

However after the death, a sample of lung tissue from this patient had been sent to the Infectious Diseases Hospital for examination but no information has been received about this as yet, Jayantha said. (Colombo May 3, 2020)

Sri Lanka records eighth death from COVID 19 – Health Ministry

ECONOMYNEXT – The Sri Lanka government has confirmed that an eighth person has died from the COVID 19 disease today May 4.

An announcement from the Ministry of Health said that the deceased was a 72-year old woman from the Polpithigama area in the Kurunegala district.





She had been under treatment at the Homagama hospital which was set aside for COVID 19 patients.

As of this afternoon, Sri Lanka has recorded a total number of 721 confirmed cases of the virus.

There are 519 active cases under treatment and 137 under observation at various hospitals.

Three new cases were reported today and 194 have been discharged after a full recovery. (Colombo May 4, 2020)

as of now...

Coronavirus Cases:
3,660,829

Deaths:
252,682

Recovered:
1,204,210

79,582 new cases world wide lower from the previous day

4,096 more deaths higher than previous 24 hours

Death toll in USA increased to 1,324 while number of new cases reduced to 24,713.

Death count in France increased to 306 while Brazil had 318 more deaths. UK death toll decreased to 288 whereas death count in Italy & Spain continue to be less than 200.

Sri Lanka confirms ninth COVID-19 death as total infected rises to 755

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka confirmed its nine death from the COVID-19 pandemic a short while ago.

An announcement from the Ministry of Health said the deceased was a 52-year-old woman from Colombo 15 that was undergoing treatment in the National Institute of Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) hospital that was set aside for COVID-19 patients.





The number of active COVID-19 cases have risen to 755 with four new cases confirmed today.

There are 549 active cases undergoing treatment and 145 under observation at various hospitals.

A total of 197 patients have been discharged after a full recovery. (Colombo/May5/2020)

Two new COVID 19 clusters emerge from Colombo as 9th fatality is confirmed

ECONOMYNEXT – Two new clusters of COVID 19 positive patients have emerged in the Colombo district today as the country recorded its 9th fatality, officials said.

The latest death is of a 52-year old woman from the Colombo inner-city Kotehena area, they said.

The patient who had been sick from an unknown respiratory ailment for around a month had been admitted to the National Hospital in Colombo and had been removed to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases late last night.

She had passed away around 1.30am this morning and had tested positive for COVID 19, they said.

No other details from that case has been revealed as yet.

The number of deaths from the disease had stayed steady at 7 for many weeks before these two fatalities were recorded.

Yesterday a 72-year-old woman with a kidney condition passed away at the Homagama hospital where a separate section to house COVID 19 patients has been established.

The two new clusters of patients are from Rajagiriya and Modera these officials said.

At Kolonnawa a person described as a drug addict has tested positive and the person found in Rajagiriya is a three-wheeler driver, they said.

Investigations are on to get more details of the third person.

Fifty-six people have reportedly been sent to quarantine from Modera and Rajagiriya after the positive cases were diagnosed.

The number tested positive for the disease rocketed up from 199 to 755 in the last 23 days with the largest number emerging from the Sri Lanka Navy’s Welisara camp. (Colombo May 5, 2020)

As of now...

Coronavirus Cases:
3,728,047

Deaths:
258,356

Recovered:
1,242,500

81,247 new cases world wide higher from the previous day

5,787 more deaths higher than previous 24 hours

We are seeing increase in deaths once more, USA increased to 2,350, UL increased to 693, Brazil increased to 578, France increased to 330. Italy had 236 more deaths while Spain continue to had less than 200 deaths.

Total reported in Sri Lanka goes to 760 patients as 9 new diagnosed

ECONOMYNEXT – The number of COVID 19 patients since the outbreak rose to 760 this evening as nine new patients were diagnosed today the Health Ministry said.

The new patients are one each from Kolonnawa, Koahena, Rajagiriya, the Kandakadu Quarantine Centre and four Navy personnel, the Director- General of Health Services, Dr Anil Jasinghe said.





The increase in numbers came as the authorities reported two new clusters of COVID 19 positive patients in the Colombo district and another cluster from Kandy today as the country recorded its 9th fatality, officials said.

The latest death is of a 52-year old woman from the Colombo inner-city Kotahena area, they said. This is an area that has been identified as a location of a possible cluster.

The patient who had been sick from an unknown respiratory ailment for around a month had been admitted to the National Hospital in Colombo on April 26 and had been transferred to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases late last night.


The Colombo Municipal Medical officer of Health said she had been living on the 13th floor of a block of flats and had been admitted to the National Hospital on April 26.

She had been transferred to the IDH when she had tested positive for COVID 19.

She had passed away around 1.30 am this morning and had tested positive for COVID 19, they said.

Six people who had lived with her in the flat, which were husband and children, as well as others whom she had associated with, were being quarantined today.





The number of deaths from the disease had stayed steady at 7 for many weeks before these two fatalities were recorded.

Yesterday a 72-year-old woman with a kidney condition passed away at the Homagama hospital where a separate section to house COVID 19 patients has been established.

The two new clusters of patients are from Rajagiriya and Modera Army Chief Lt Gen Shavindra Silva said.

At Kolonnawa a person described by the authorities as a drug user has tested positive and the person found in Rajagiriya is a three-wheeler driver, they said.

Fifty-six people have reportedly been sent to quarantine from Modera and Rajagiriya after the positive cases were diagnosed.

The third cluster is from Kolabissa in the Kandy district where an infected Navy Sailor had been on holiday. Sixty-seven people he had associated with have been quarantined.

The number tested positive for the disease rocketed up from 199 to 755 in the last 23 days with the largest number emerging from the Sri Lanka Navy’s Welisara camp. (Colombo May 5, 2020)

Coronavirus: latest global developments

AFP – At least 254,532 people have died of the novel coronavirus since the epidemic surfaced in China late last year, according to an AFP tally at 1900 GMT Tuesday based on official sources.

There have been more than 3,629,160 officially recorded cases spanning 195 countries and territories.

The United States is the worst-hit country, with 70,115 deaths out of 1,193,027 cases. Britain follows with 29,427, then Italy with 29,315 deaths, Spain with 25,613 and France with 25,531.

– German states shun Merkel prudence –

Regional leaders push back against Chancellor Angela Merkel’s pleas for prudence, with the biggest state Bavaria preempting planned talks on Wednesday by saying it will reopen its restaurants and hotels this month.

– Hong Kong, California ease measures –

Hong Kong announces plans to reopen schools, cinemas, bars and beauty parlours from Friday.

In California, the governor announces some retailers including bookshops, florists and clothing stores will be allowed to reopen at the end of the week.

– Oil rallies –

Oil prices rally amid a further easing of lockdowns in the United States and Europe, with a barrel of crude reaching just over $30 for the first time since mid-April.

– Bleak economic data –

Australia’s economy is losing Aus$4 billion (US$2.5 billion) every week its shutdown continues, with GDP forecast to plunge 10 percent in the June quarter, its latest figures announce.

French oil giant Total says its quarterly profits have fallen by 99 percent because of dropping oil prices and announces it will slash investments. The firm reports a net profit of $34 million for the first quarter against $3.1 billion a year earlier.





Spain’s jobless figures rise by more than 282,000 in April, largely because of the collapse of tourism, labour ministry figures show, bringing the total number of unemployed in the country to 3.8 million.

– Russia cases soar –

Russia cements its place as the European country reporting the highest number of new infections, with a total of over 155,000.

– Mass repatriation of Indians –

India embarks on a “massive” operation calling up passenger jets and naval ships to bring back some of the hundreds of thousands of nationals stuck abroad.

– Tournament postponed –

The European swimming championships are postponed a year until May 2021 because of the pandemic.

Sri Lanka warned of Coronavirus in the community as new cases found

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s health minister warned that there may be infected persons in the community who do not show symptoms, while the count rose to 771 with new cases being discovered in several locations.

“With curfew to be relaxed in the future, you must be mindful that there may be persons who do not show symptoms may be around you from time to time (inder hiter oba athara gawasiya hakiyi), Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said in Sri Lanka’s Sirasa Television.





“There is a certain trend that you may also get the disease from these persons. So you must wash hands, whether a shop, or supermarket or place of work.”

Sri Lanka is planning to relax tight curfews on May 11. In the Western province, anyone would be allowed to go to work, but authorities are have asked people to limit other activities such as shopping.

Community Transmission

Jayaruwan Bandara, the Director of Sri Lanka’s medical research institute had also warned that there may be infected people in the community, media reports said.

The World Health Organization had already designated Sri Lanka as a country with community transmission in the middle of March.

But authorities who were initially not testing persons outside of discovered clusters starting from symptomatic index cases, said there was no community transmission.

In a country with community transmission, the public generally wear masks.

On May 05, new patients were discovered from Kolonnawa, Colombo 15, in the Bandaranaike Pura area of Rajagiriya causing fresh concerns.





The person in Rajagiriya may be linked to an existing cluster, reports said.

This week, a woman who had been suffering from respiratory symptoms for a month and had reportedly seen a doctor more than once had not been diagnosed or tested until her condition became worse died after being admitted to hospital.

Her husband was distributing bread for a bakery, reports said.

Sri Lanka’s military chief Shavendra Silva told Sri Lanka’s Derana television that investigations were underway to find the infections sources of the newly discovered persons.

“There have been situations where we could not initially find the link,” Silva said. “For example in the Dabare Road case we eventually found the connection. Here also we are conducting investigations.”

New cases not linked to existing clusters point to more un-identified infected persons or clusters in the community.





Meanwhile officials had found 71 contacts of the new cases and quarantined them. Tests are now being conducted on them.

Testing Restrictions

Sri Lanka is now finding new cases from the community as well as contacts after relaxing earlier controls on Coronavirus tests.

Initially tests were denied to anyone who was not already in hospital. The persons in hospital were only symptomatic cases.

Tests were also denied to asymptomatic first contacts and quarantined person.

Authorities initially wanted all symptomatic persons to come to state hospitals.

But the rationale for denying voluntary tests to asymptomatic person who may want it because of a perceived if they are prepared to bear the cost is not known.

However close contacts of symptomatic persons are now tested, though there have been concerns that ‘casual’ first contacts may be not be tested.

The denial of tests to quarantined persons was also lifted after at least two turned up with symptoms after release.

Some public health officers who were contact tracing in a large cluster went to voluntary self-quarantine after they were denied tests.

A large number of Navy personnel who were involved in contact tracing and quarantine were also not discovered until a symptomatic person got infected and admitted himself to hospital.

Authorities are now testing some high risk groups based on an algorithm, the head of Sri Lanka’s Health Service Anil Jasinghe has said.

Voluntary Tests

Businesses are still denied voluntary tests of high risk groups at their own expense.

Though symptomatic persons are expected to go to a designated state hospital, the rationale for the ban on asymptomatic persons has been questioned.





“Once curfew is lifted, the front office staff of any institution including airports, quarantine workers, cleaning staff, people working in economic centres, and drivers may be exposed to higher risks,” Colombo-based Advocata Institute said last month, while also calling for testing of high risk groups.

“Those in driving/delivery related jobs in particular would also be in a position to spread the disease faster and to a greater area.”

Sri Lanka’s National Medical Regulatory Authority initially raided a private hospital and sealed test material.

But Sri Lanka has now also expanded the number of daily tests conducted by the state system, though voluntary tests at private expense are still banned.

In countries that are successful such as Korea, voluntary drive-in tests are conducted at state expense.

Sri Lanka is nmow aggressively tracing contacts of all discovered infected cases, especially a dozens of Navy personnel who were allowed to go on leave during Coroanvirus curfews which led to the spread of the disease around the country.

On April 05, a person discovered in Kolabissa in Kandy who was linked to a relative of a sailor, 67 contacts had been quarantined, General Silva said.

Twenty seven contacts of a person in Rajagiriya Bandaranaike Pura were also quarantined.

Authorities had take 138 to quarantine centres and 4883 person were in 39 quarantine centres. A total of 339 military officers have so far been found. (Colombo/May06/2020)

Guidelines to be issued for Beauty Parlours, Barber shops to open

ECONOMYNEXT – Beauty Parlours, Barber Saloons and similar institutions may re-open once they get certification from the Health Authorities that they have taken precautions to prevent the spread of COVID 19, the government said today.

Under the restrictions that are imposed on civilian life at present, the opening of these businesses is completely banned, a press release from the Ministry of Health said.

The office of the Director-General of Health Services Dr Anil Jasinghe said that it will shortly issue a set of guidelines for these parlours and saloons to re-open.

Once they are published, the owners and operators of these places would need to contact the local Public Health Inspector and the Medical Officer of Health and obtain the checklist of the changes or modifications that are necessary to comply with the guidelines.

Once those changes are done the operators need to request the PHIs to visit them and certify that the changes have taken place, the statement said.

Jasinghe says that none of these institutions should open without this certification. (Colombo, May 6, 2020)

As of now...

Coronavirus Cases:
3,821,691

Deaths:
265,043

Recovered:
1,299,503

95,325 new cases world wide notably higher from the previous day

6,811 more deaths higher than previous 24 hours

We are seeing increase in deaths once more, USA increased to 2,528, UL increased to 693, Brazil increased to 667, UK increased to 649, Italy increased to 369, Spain increased to 244 deaths.

USA continue to dominate the rate of new infections with 25,459 new cases identified yesterday. Brazil is at second place with 11,896 and Russia becoming third with 10,559 new cases.

Some analysts and political leaders predicting the control of this situation by June this year but it seems the peak situation will continue for the rest of the two months as well before showing any sign of gradual decline.

At the current rate total number of cases worldwide are likely to hit 5.7mn and total number of deaths are likely to hit 400,000 by the end of this month so can anyone realistically believe that bad days will be over by June? I think only a day dreamer can imagine such a bright situation.