• PCR testing reduced due to less contacts   
• Too early to comment on slight decrease in COVID cases  

By Sheain Fernandopulle   

While saying that it was too early to give a conclusion on the slight decrease in COVID-19 cases in the country at present, Deputy Director-General of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath said, all the major clusters in the country are on their diminishing stage.  

Speaking to Daily Mirror, he said there are a number reasons that could be attributed to the slight decrease in cases.  

“One could be, when there are no major specific sub-clusters, there could be a reduction in overall cases. Also, when there are more cases reported at a given date or time, the additional number of cases would be reported in two weeks time,” Dr Herath underlined.  

“These type of fluctuations could always be expected. This can happen epidemiologically. However, it was too early to say whether there is a real reduction of cases,” he said.  
Dr. Herath stressed that the slight decrease was not due to any under-reporting.  “We try our best to make sure that we don’t get an exponential increase in cases. For that, it is essential for people to follow the health guidelines,” he added.  

When asked whether they have reduced the number of PCR tests per day, Dr. Herath said the number of PCR tests had to be reduced because only a less number of contacts were tested with a few cases.

• the number of PCR tests had to be reduced because only a less number of contacts were tested with a few cases