COVID-19 cases rising in Sri Lanka, says WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) in Sri Lanka said that COVID-19 cases were rising globally including in Sri Lanka as the country had noted a rise in infected patients in recent weeks, local media reported Monday.

The WHO in Sri Lanka, in an official tweet, said that this increase in patients globally and in the country was driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant, increased social mixing and mobility, inconsistent Public Health and Social Measures (PHSM), and inequitable vaccination.

"Hard-won gains are in jeopardy and health systems are being overwhelmed," the WHO in Sri Lanka said.

Sri Lanka has in recent weeks recorded a high rise in patients with an average of over 2,000 COVID-19 patients being detected per day.

Health officials said this was due to the highly contagious Delta variant spreading rapidly in the country.

Sri Lanka presently has an active patient count of 27,998 patients across the country and has recorded 4,508 deaths from the virus.

Last week, Deputy Director-General of Health Services Hemantha Herath said that the Delta variant, which was initially reported in capital Colombo, had now spread to all districts of the country.

Health officials said that due to the sudden rise in patients, hospitals across the country were filled and the need for oxygen had risen considerably.

The Health Ministry urged the public to maintain all health guidelines and avoid leaving home without a mask.

The ministry has also made it mandatory to maintain social distance in public. (ANI/Xinhua)

( With inputs from ANI )