Hospital temporarily closed down after deceased patient tests positive for COVID

The Giribawa Hospital was temporarily closed down last evening (29) after a patient who was admitted to the hospital and later died was revealed to have contracted COVID-19.

The 68-year-old woman had been admitted several days ago for a severe cough but her condition had worsened yesterday and she had been transferred to the Tambuttegama Hospital, where she passed away. A rapid antigen test conducted on her remains had later come back positive for COVID-19. 

As soon as the positive test results came, authorities at the Giribawa Hospital had conducted rapid antigen tests last night on all 22 patients who were being treated as in-house patients at the hospital. All the tests had come back negative and the patients were then transferred to the Galgamuwa Hospital. 

Meanwhile, PCR tests are due to be conducted on the entire staff at the Giribawa Hospital, which numbers at around 30. 

Text and Pix by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe in Puttalam