By Maheesha Mudugamuwa
Ministry of Health Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera noted that the apparel worker who was first diagnosed with the coronavirus last week was not the origin of the Covid-19 cluster at the Minuwangoda Brandix garment factory, and the virus may have been in the factory for several weeks.
According to Dr. Samaraweera, the employees of the Minuwangoda garment factory were suffering from respiratory ailments since 20 September.
He said that the Minuwangoda garment factory worker who was first diagnosed with the coronavirus had shown symptoms on 28 September and was admitted to the hospital on 30 September.
Therefore, the first patient identified was an intermediate patient who had previously been infected with the virus at the garment factory, and it is possible that the first patient may have recovered by now, he said.
He said that since the first patients to be reported were from the factory, and if symptoms had first appeared on 20 September, the virus would have entered the factory two weeks or more prior.
Commenting on the number of tests conducted at present, he said the authorities were currently conducting the maximum number of tests possible. “This is a big cluster and therefore, it takes some time to conduct the tests,” he said.
Dr. Samaraweera denied allegations levelled against the management of Brandix that they had ignored symptoms displayed by their employees and instead instructed them to continue their routine work.
When contacted by The Morning, Dr. Samaraweera said it was unfair to point fingers at the management at present when the whole country was ignoring the health guidelines and behaved like there was no Covid-19 threat at all.Covid-19 Minuwangoda Cluster | Virus in factory weeks before detection
09 Oct 2020
Covid-19 Minuwangoda Cluster | Virus in factory weeks before detection
09 Oct 2020
By Maheesha Mudugamuwa
Ministry of Health Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera noted that the apparel worker who was first diagnosed with the coronavirus last week was not the origin of the Covid-19 cluster at the Minuwangoda Brandix garment factory, and the virus may have been in the factory for several weeks.
According to Dr. Samaraweera, the employees of the Minuwangoda garment factory were suffering from respiratory ailments since 20 September.
He said that the Minuwangoda garment factory worker who was first diagnosed with the coronavirus had shown symptoms on 28 September and was admitted to the hospital on 30 September.
Therefore, the first patient identified was an intermediate patient who had previously been infected with the virus at the garment factory, and it is possible that the first patient may have recovered by now, he said.
He said that since the first patients to be reported were from the factory, and if symptoms had first appeared on 20 September, the virus would have entered the factory two weeks or more prior.
Commenting on the number of tests conducted at present, he said the authorities were currently conducting the maximum number of tests possible. “This is a big cluster and therefore, it takes some time to conduct the tests,” he said.
Dr. Samaraweera denied allegations levelled against the management of Brandix that they had ignored symptoms displayed by their employees and instead instructed them to continue their routine work.
When contacted by The Morning, Dr. Samaraweera said it was unfair to point fingers at the management at present when the whole country was ignoring the health guidelines and behaved like there was no Covid-19 threat at all.Kapruka
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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!