While increasing the country's reliance on oxygen by 441%, Sri Lanka has risen to third place among South Asian countries in terms of COVID-19 patients,  Executive Committee Member of the Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) Dr. Prasad Kolabage said.

He told the media that the complications and allergies associated with COVID-19 infection are steadily increasing.

"The daily dealth toll has also risen to nearly 50, demonstrating the danger of this new COVID-19 variant," he said.

The rate of dependency on oxygen in April and May has increased to 441%. Although the travel restrictions are imposed to control the spread of virus, the severity of the disease doesn't seem to have abated.

Increase in the number of COVID patients whose dependency on oxygen increases can not be ignored. Because that would create a huge problem in the future.

Therefore, Dr. Kolabage warned people not to misuse the travel restrictions even if they are lifted. If people don't behave responsibly, this would turn into a disaster for the country, he added. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)