Coincidently on the day the World Health Organisation announced COVID-19 as a world pandemic, March 11, Sri Lanka also found its first local case of the new coronavirus. After 46 days since then, Sri Lanka records 368 cases as of Friday (24) morning with 7 deaths due to the virus. Still marking on the safe side Sri Lanka had been able to control the COVID-19 death rate below 2% whereas the WHO announced death rate is 3.4 per cent.
On the rise?
The flat and down curves Sri Lanka maintained recently has been changed since April 12, where the curve now shows a sudden incline, especially with reporting 76 new patients between April 19-22.
Meanwhile, a new cluster of cases arose from the Welisara naval base. A Sri Lanka Navy sailor attached to the Welisara base was found COVID-19 positive last Wednesday as he was admitted to a hospital in his hometown, Pulasthigama, Polonnaruwa. Army Commander and Head of National COVID-19 Operation Centre, Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva told media, that 30 Navy soldiers including the first soldier have been identified as COVID-19 patients.
“We have uncovered that these sailors were infected with the virus while on duty in the Suduwella area, Ja-Ela to send people for quarantine including the drug dealer from the same area who was found COVID-19 positive,” he said.
Keselwatta in Colombo, particularly the Bandaranaike Mawatha area is identified as a high-risk area, with at least 25 COVID-19 patients found in the area last week. In response to that, the health authorities started conducting PCR tests to detect the virus in the residents of the area.
Colombo Mayor, Rosy Senanayake also stressed the risk of the virus fast-spreading in the Greater Colombo areas where most houses are close to each other.
“When there are about 230 people living in a 15 perch block, and when two-three families live in a single house, the virus could spread massively. But thanks to the foresight of the President we could direct more than 1,200 people in the Colombo city to quarantine,” she said.
The Piliyandala, Kesbewa area also emerged as an area of danger with the detection of a fish vendor infected with the virus. The close associates of the vendor have already been sent to quarantine centres. With the report of this case, 529 people in the Peliyagoda fish market were also subjected to the PCR test and all of them tested negative.
Curfew
Police curfew imposed since mid-March is still active with certain periods of relaxing in 19 districts, excluding Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha, Puttalam, Kandy and Jaffna. In these 19 districts on weekdays, the curfew is imposed only during the night hours, 8 pm to 5 am. Curfew in six high-risk districts is effective until tomorrow (27). However, the re-imposing of curfew in these areas will be considered, following the large number of cases reported.
According to the Epidemiology Unit Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services, about 120 cases have been reported in the Colombo district. The second largest in terms of the number of cases, is Kalutara with at least 58 cases. Many districts, namely, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Hambantota, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaitivu, Ampara, Trincomalee, Anuradhapura and Monaragala remain as the safest districts without a single COVID-19 case.
The Government implemented several key projects to uplift social life with a special target of supplying essential services to the public during the curfew. In this attempt, food items were distributed in both urban and rural areas, with the participation of cooperative units islandwide.
In addition, a special allowance of Rs. 5,000 was distributed among Samurdhi beneficiaries whose main income is blocked currently due to the curfew.
Economy
To revive the country’s economy which has been badly affected by the global pandemic, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last week appointed his third Presidential Task Force (PTF) aiming at Economic Revival and Poverty Alleviation, headed by former Minister Basil Rajapaksa.
The PTF has been established in terms of the power vested on the President by Article 33 of the Constitution. The task force is responsible for the economic revival and poverty alleviation, with particular focus on the economic and social challenges and opportunities in Sri Lanka in the face of the global corona epidemic.
The President pointed out that the PTF is tasked with guiding the relevant agencies to create a ‘Manufacturing Economy’ by creating a unique economic framework for the country with a new approach based on the vision of the “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour”, the policy statement. Another function of the PTF is to implement joint operations to establish a people-centric economy that encourages local industrialists and entrepreneurs.
Economic activities in the country are now proceeding under the health and safety guidelines. Ministry of Industrial Exports and Investment Promotion Prasanna Ranatunga also announced the re-start of operations in key industries, particularly the ones located in Industrial zones.