Chief Epidemiologist dismisses media reports

Flatly dismissing certain media reports that Sri Lanka has detected a second patient infected with 2019 n-COV, Chief Epidemiologist of the Health Ministry, Dr. Sudath Samarajeewa said.

He said the BIA employee had already been discharged from the Colombo National Hospital (CNH) after full recovery from cold and fever.

“It is correct to say that a patient with fever and cold was referred to the CNH from Anuradhapura General Hospital under the care of a specially trained medical staff in a special ambulance last week, as there was suspicion that she may have infected with new Coronavirus - 2019 n-COV. I think the main reason for the suspicion is that she is an employee of the BIA,” Dr. Samaraweera told Daily Mirror.

However, the medical tests carried out on her at the CNH had confirmed that she had not been infected with 2019 n-COV.

The discharging of the 33 Sri Lankan students airlifted from Wuhan in Hubei province in China in a mercy mission by the national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines will be considered once they complete 14 days of quarantine at the Diyatalawa army camp medical centre on next Saturday.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the Coronavirus epidemic had risen to 910 by noon today and the number of patients infected stood at 40,614 in 28 countries.

Dr. Samaraweera added that 15 people at various hospitals under medical observation were in good health and would be released soon.

The medical staff of the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), the Health Ministry, Medical Research Institute and the Government Epidemiology Unit will take a collective decision on the discharging of the Chinese woman who has fully recovered from Coronavirus infection. (Sandun A. Jayasekera)