There was a 53 percent increase in Covid-19 related deaths in the country last week compared to the previous week.
Eighty-three percent of the deaths were reported from the Western Province, the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) Secretary Dr. Senal Fernando said. He told the media in Colombo yesterday that around 75 percent of Covid-19 deaths were those over the age of 60 and 87 percent of Covid-19 deaths were of people who suffered from Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, kidney, liver, heart and chronic respiratory diseases. According to Dr. Fernando, the Covid-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka has reached the maximum level and people over 60 and those who suffer from NCDs should protect themselves against the disease.
The main objective at present is to control the virus and minimise the number of deaths and vaccination is important towards this end. Dr. Fernando said that people should select the healthiest and youngest person in the family to be sent out on May 31 and June 4 to buy essentials from the nearest shop. No person over the age of 60 or suffering from NCDs should go out. These people should stay at home to control the disease, he said.