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No immediate virus worries, say health officials amid thousands of likely deaths in China
View(s):By Yoshitha Perera
Sri Lankans are being told to follow general health guidelines to help prevent the possible spread of the coronavirus disease and its new variants in the country.
This follows a surge in infections in China since last month.
But, Sri Lankan health officials say there is no immediate threat, unless a dangerous new variant emerges.
Dr. Hemantha Herath, the deputy director general of health services, said: “The Health Ministry’s expert panel is currently monitoring the situation, and if any additional action is required, the panel will make recommendations. So far, no additional recommendations have been implemented.’’
Fort Railway station: Not many appear to be adhering to basic public health measures such as wearing masks in public places. Pic by Eshan Fernando
On average, 10 Sri Lankans are diagnosed with the infection every day. But this is only confirmed by Covid-19 tests.
But, Dr Herath admits there may be more who are infected but not known because testing for Covid-19 is not widespread.
“People should wear the (face) mask whenever possible, maintain hygiene, while maintaining social distance,” he said. These would reduce the chance of becoming infected.
Meanwhile, a six-year-old child and the mother who arrived in Madurai from China via Sri Lanka have tested positive for Covid-19 last week. They have been isolated.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Sri Lanka has updated its general Covid-19 guidance, advising travellers to carry their vaccination certificate with them and present it to medical personnel when needed. They are not, however, required to produce the vaccination certificate on arrival.
Airport officials have said pre-departure Covid-19 testing is not needed, and if a traveller presents with symptoms, a PCR or Rapid Antigen Test will be done.
There are no specific restrictions related to the coronavirus disease in Sri Lanka, and people are strongly advised to adhere to basic public health measures, the CAA notice said.
According to data reported to the Epidemiology Department on Friday, December 30, only 17 infected patients are in hospitals or under home-based care.
“If the number of patients is more than the reported number, the hospital capacity should also have to be increased. Such a situation has not yet occurred,’’ Dr. Herath said.
A stock of Sinopharm vaccines is available and those needing vaccination can make an appointment at the medical officer of health office, he said.
| 9,000 Chinese are ‘probably’ dying every day Since communist China abandoned its harsh, arbitrary, so-called ‘zero Covid-19’ restrictions last month after widespread, unprecedented public rage on the streets, coronavirus disease infections have soared. But, China’s reporting is under suspicion. On Friday, the WHO repeated a request for real-time information. Health data firm Airfinity in the UK estimates that 9,000 are probably dying every day in China. Cumulative deaths since December 1, may be at 100,000 in China and 18.6 million are infected, Airfinity said in a statement, reports from the UK say. India, the United States, South Korea, Italy, Japan, and Taiwan now demand that Chinese travellers be tested for the disease. Concerned about the soaring infections in China, Singapore said Friday it is ready to “reinstate border health measures’’. China has played down the criticisms. In late 2019, in Wuhan in Hubei province, the deadly disease first emerged and spread rapidly causing millions of deaths across the world. After days of silence, on January 21, 2020, China confirmed the disease is spreading between people, saying 15 medical workers in Wuhan are infected. By then, 224 infections had been reported in China. Since January 2020, about 10 million infections of Chinese have been reported to the World Health Organization, reports say. | |
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