SL records 94 COVID deaths in the past 24 hours

Ninety four persons have died from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, the Director General of Health Services confirmed.

This increases the total death count from the virus to 4821. Out of the deceased 49 were males and 45 were females. Majority of the deaths were those over 60 years of age.

State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Professor Channa Jayasumana told Parliament yesterday the government may consider importing oxygen from Singapore and India if COVID patients depending on oxygen increase rapidly.

Ranil Wickremesinghe also highlighted the need to go for immediate purchase of vaccines and oxygen as well as get the support from Army and engineering companies to convert field hospitals as COVID treatment centres.

Meanwhile another consignment of 2.14 million Sinopharm vaccines will arrive in the country today.

“Despite huge domestic demand increased due to a new surge of COVID and children vaccination started, #China keeps its commitment to deliver 4 million #Sinopharm doses to #SriLanka as scheduled,” the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka tweeted.  

Sri Lanka is to receive another 1.86 million Sinopharm vaccines on Sunday(08).