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5 times more Covid patients than reported

03 Aug 2021

  • SLMA urges vigilance over Delta
  • One Delta patient can infect 7-10: IDH Consultant 
BY Pamodi Waravita The Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) yesterday (3) said that there are around five times more Covid-19 positive people in the community than shown in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests conducted daily. “The data shows that the virus is spreading at an extremely fast rate these days. In most hospitals in the Western Province, especially at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL), there are many Covid-19 patients. We must understand that there are about five times more Covid-19 positive people in the community than shown in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests conducted daily, due to testing limitations,” said the SLMA President Dr. Padma Gunarathne. Dr. Gunarathne warned that the current surge of Covid-19 cases is most likely due to the highly transmissible B.1.617.2 Delta Indian variant and stressed that the public must be extra vigilant in its collective effort to prevent infection from it. “The Covid-19 surge from the months of April to June was due to the B.1.1.7 Alpha United Kingdom variant of the virus. However, we are once again seeing a surge in cases and we can conclude that this is due to the Delta variant, particularly in the Western Province.” The National Institute of Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) Consultant Physician Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama, speaking at the same event, explained that while one person infected with the Alpha variant has the ability to infect about three to four people, a person infected with the Delta variant can infect seven or even 10 people. Therefore, both the health experts reminded the public that the basic health guidelines must continue to be strictly followed, despite the speedy vaccination drive that is currently taking place in the country. “Getting vaccinated with both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, especially for immune compromised or elderly people, is very important. We commend the Government’s successful efforts in its vaccination drive. However, it is important that those who have received the second dose understand that it takes about two or three weeks after the jab to gain full protection,” noted Dr. Gunarathne. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised serious concerns about the fast spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant of the Covid-19 Virus, which has already spread to all districts within the country, despite the fast vaccination rate. However, all state sector employees were called back to work this week while interprovincial travel commenced again for state and private sector employees reporting to work. According to the Epidemiology Unit, 2,510 new Covid-19 patients were identified on 2 August while 67 deaths were also reported as a result of it on the same day.  


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