31 August 2021 07:00 pm Views - 2361
Statistics on daily Covid cases had to be updated repeatedly as there was a delay in reporting data on positive cases that were identified through Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) performed on field and in private sector hospitals, Deputy Director General of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath said today.
He told reporters that the data received by the Epidemiology Unit on Covid positive cases are being released on daily basis and said the data reach late added to the respective figures after being verified.
"We release statistics as we receive them on a daily basis. The data we receive after the relevant date is added to the respective figures as we receive them after the verification process. We face allegations of hiding data unless we add up delayed data to the respective figures," he said.
Dr. Herath said even though the mechanism to gather data is in place, there was a delay in receiving data on positive cases that were identified through Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) performed on field and in private sector hospitals.
"We do not receive data of the tests conducted on field and private sector hospitals as fast as in our laboratories do," he said. (Ajith Siriwardana)