Addict ‘caused half of virus infections in Sri Lanka’

A SRI LANKAN heroin addict accused of being a coronavirus superspreader solely responsible for half of his country’s cases says he is being made a scapegoat because of his drug habit.

Prasad Dinesh, 33, has recently been outed as the notorious “Patient 206” who health officials say is responsible for at least three clusters totalling nearly half the country’s 2,600 cases.

The former rickshaw driver’s infection led to a brawl with navy sailors trying to enforce quarantine – 900 sailors later tested positive themselves, in cases then pinned on Mr Dinesh.

“I can’t accept that I am responsible for infecting so many, including the navy sailors,” Mr Dinesh said, after returning home following his release from a month-long stay at a hospital.

Mr Dinesh was caught by villagers on April 5 during a robbery and handed over to police. After he tested positive for Covid-19, his friends and more than 100 people in his neighbourhood were ordered to quarantine at home.

Not everyone complied and Sri Lanka’s navy sent in a team of sailors to backup health workers. Some of Mr Dinesh’s associates panicked and tried to flee before they were caught after a melee. The virus then spread to different parts of the country where sailors were on leave.

Eventually about 900 sailors tested positive, with around 50 other infected people also part of that cluster. Two other clusters also blamed on Mr Dinesh had at least 150 coronavirus cases. The quick spread meant that of Sri Lanka’s 2,665 cases, nearly half have ultimately been blamed on Mr Dinesh.