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Health Ministry warns about post-festival wave

16 Dec 2021

  • Three more Omicron cases confirmed
BY Buddhika Samaraweera The health authorities have warned of a serious situation in terms of the state of the pandemic in the country within the next few weeks, if the people do not adhere to the Covid-19-related health guidelines during the upcoming festive season. Addressing a media briefing held yesterday (16), Health Ministry Communications Director, Public Health Services Deputy Director General, and Disaster Preparedness and Response Division Head Dr. Hemantha Herath said: “If we adhere to the health guidelines, we will be able to enjoy this festive season without any problems, but if not, we will have to face a serious situation in the next few weeks.” He also pointed out that everyone should act responsibly so that there is no serious Covid-19 spread after this festive season, as it did after this year’s festive season. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka confirmed three more cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 (B.1.1.529), said University of Sri Jayewardenepura Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine Director Dr. Chandima Jeewandara yesterday. The new development brings the total number of Omicron cases detected in the country to four. Sri Lanka confirmed its first Omicron case on 3 December in a Sri Lankan national who had recently returned from Nigeria. According to Dr. Herath, one of the newly detected Omicron cases is a foreign national who has already departed the island, while another is revealed to be an arrival. The remaining individual was identified as a close contact of the latter. He said the authorities are looking for more details about these patients. South Africa alerted the World Health Organisation (WHO) about a new highly mutated SARS-CoV-2 variant on 24 November. More than 30 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, and Japan have since detected the variant. Initial evidence suggested that Omicron has a higher re-infection risk. Early this week, Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana announced that a decision has been taken to administer the third dose or booster dose of a Covid-19 vaccine to everyone over the age of 20 years, shortly after warning that if those who are eligible to receive the booster dose opt not to, the country would face a Covid-19 tsunami in late December. “Many people visit their relatives’ houses in the last two weeks of December. We don’t think that it will be necessary to limit such things. That is why it was decided to administer the booster dose of a Covid-19 vaccine as soon as possible. But, if the people don’t obtain it and instead have fun, the country will be hit by a Covid-19 tsunami during the last week of December,” he claimed. According to the Epidemiology Unit, Sri Lanka, as of 7.45 p.m. on 16 December, has recorded 14,698 Covid-19 deaths while the total number of infections stood at 577,484 of which a total of 546,498 patients have recovered.


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