COLOMBO, Oct 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Sri Lankan health officials said yesterday, the number of COVID-19 cases in the country was declining, as the spread of transmission caused by the Delta variant was easing.
A senior health official from the Health Ministry, said that, the viral load in infected patients being reported was low, and if all health guidelines were maintained, Sri Lanka could soon lift the existing restrictions, including an inter-province travel ban.
The official said, people needed to remain cautious and advised to wear face masks and maintain social distancing in public places, as the country was not out of danger yet.
According to official statistics, the number of positive COVID-19 patients in Sri Lanka reached 527,735 yesterday, after 671 patients were reported a day earlier, a decline from the average 3,000 cases reported daily last month.
The death toll from the virus was 13,377.
Pictures shared by health workers on social media showed, empty beds in the COVID-19 wards, in some of the major hospitals in the country, which were filled to their maximum when the Delta variant caused havoc in May. Doctors said, while this was a relief, people needed to behave responsibly, to avoid another wave.
The Health Ministry banned all public gatherings until further notice, while cinemas and in-house dining in restaurants also remain closed. People have also been urged to avoid unnecessary travel and are encouraged to work from home, while schools nationwide are yet to re-open.– NNN-AGENCIES
