Sri Lanka passed the 100,000 PCR tests mark within four months, with 101,226 tests done by Friday (26), Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said.
According to Minister Wanniarachchi, the PCR test is not something simple. Equipment and chemicals are needed to conduct a PCR test. The test cannot be performed even without one of the requirements. It is a very complicated process.
At present 17 laboratories in Sri Lanka conduct PCR tests, and 35 state hospitals island wide treat Covid-19 patients. Minister Wanniarachchi said that Covid-19 has been controlled by Sri Lanka.
No Covid-19 patient has been reported after April 30. Only 313 patients were detected in Sri Lanka from the inception of the pandemic. All others were imported cases and cases from the navy cluster.
Epidemiology unit sources said the current Covid-19 recovery rate in Sri Lanka is 80.55 percent which is much higher than the global recovery rate of 54.04 percent. The recovery rate in the USA is 42.01 percent, and in India, 58.16 percent. Only the UK recovery rate of 85.96 percent is slightly higher than Sri Lanka.
The fatality rate of Covid-19 in Sri Lanka is 0.55 percent which is significantly less than the Global fatality rate of 5.06 percent. The fatality rate in the USA is 5.06 percent, and in India it is 3.12 percent. The fatality rate in the UK is 14.04 percent, the sources said.
By Friday (26) noon, 2,010 Covid-19 patients were reported in Sri Lanka with 380 active cases (hospitalised). There were 30 foreigners and 720 imported cases (Sri Lankans) among the 2,010 Covid-19 patients, and 947 patients are from the Navy cluster and their close contacts.
The total number of recovered patients was 1,619, and 36 patients are warded in hospitals for further investigation. Eleven Covid-19 deaths have been reported in Sri Lanka so far.
The Colombo district recorded the highest number, 150 Covid-19 patients, Gampaha district recorded the second highest, 36, Puttalam district recorded 35 patients and Kalutara district, 34.
Kandy district recorded 13 Covid-19 patients.
No Covid-19 patients were reported from eight districts in Sri Lanka, Hambantota, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Ampara, Nuwara Eliya, Killinochchi, Mannar and the Mulaitivu districts.
Epidemiology statistics show that in the early stage many symptomatic Covid-19 patients were reported in the country but in the recent past more asymptomatic than symptomatic Covid-19 patients were reported in the country.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, health officials, health professionals and experts emphasise the importance of strictly following all health guidelines issued by the Government to prevent the Covid-19 spread. Now Sri Lanka is free from Covid-19 but there is a danger because the virus exists in other countries and could enter Lankan shores through people who return to the island from those countries.
The main health guidelines are: maintaining at least one metre distance from another person, washing hands with soap and water frequently and using a standard hand sanitiser whenever soap and water cannot be found, wearing a mask properly (without moving it to the chin or neck and touching it to adjust it) and while in the public not touching the mouth, nose and eyes (face).