More Than 900 People Recover From COVID-19 in Sri Lanka

Over 900 patients treated for the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka have recovered and been discharged, surpassing the total number of active cases in the island country, Sri Lanka’s Health Ministry said on Sunday. The number of active cases in the country stood at 862 as of Sunday afternoon while 11 deaths have been reported from the virus. Some 70 people are under observation in hospitals across the country, the Health Ministry statistics showed. Sri Lanka’s army chief General Shavendra Silva, who is leading the national operation against the COVID-19 together with health experts, told local media last week that the threat from the pandemic was “basically over” within the society and new patients were being reported from the naval forces who were under quarantine and local nationals being repatriated from overseas. No new transmission within the public had not been reported since April 30.

The army chief further said authorities had formulated a plan to prevent a fresh threat emerging within the public from the infected persons who are being repatriated, adding that local nationals residing overseas wanted to return back home as Sri Lanka had adapted one of the best strategies to eliminate the COVID-19 pandemic in the world.

Sri Lanka resumed economic activities in the capital which was one of the worst-hit from the pandemic late last month after being shut for nearly two months, while a curfew continues to be imposed nationwide from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. local time.

Strict health guidelines continue to be in place across the island country and wearing a mask has been made mandatory by health authorities.