China relaxes entry restrictions for foreigners inoculated with Chinese vaccines

China said on Monday it will simplify visa applications for foreign nationals who have been inoculated with Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines, its latest small step towards normalising international travel.

Covid patients reported from few clusters despite drop in cases - Army Chief

Though there was a drop in detection of new COVID-19 cases, Chief of Defence Staff and Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said that there are still a few patients being reported from clusters in Kandy, Morawaka and Katunayake areas

Test to find sudden drop in platelets of deceased person after vaccination

Blood and pathology tests needed to be carried out to determine whether the sudden drop in the platelets of a dead hotel worker, who was administered with COVID-19 vaccine was due to a complication caused by the vaccine, Assistant Judicial Medical Officer of the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, Galle, Samadhi Dandeniya Arachchi, who conducted the autopsy on the dead, said.

Two more COVID-19 fatalities reported

Two more individuals succumbed to COVID-19 today bringing the total number of COVID deaths in the country to 534, the Government Information Department said.

83 SL expatriates among 321 Covid-19 cases: NOCPCO

A total of 83 Sri Lankan expatriates were among the 331 persons who were tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday, the National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) said.

COVID vaccines: Free booking for Snr. citizens in CMC limits

The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has announced that senior citizens over the age of 60 who are residing within the Colombo city limits can reserve a time online to receive COVISHIELD vaccine.

One more COVID-19 death reported

One COVID-19 death was reported today increasing the death toll to 526, the Government Information Department said.

Guidelines issued for Lankans or foreign nationals in SL on foreign visits

Public health guidelines to be adopted by Lankans or foreign nationals who are residing in Sri Lanka and undertaking an important state visit/ official visit/ business visit under biosafety travel bubble were issued by the Health Ministry.

43 more test positive for COVID-19 at apperal factory in Katunayake

Fourty-three more workers at an apperal factory at Katunayake Free Trade Zone have tested positive for COVID-19 today, the National Operation Centre for Prevention of Covid-19 Outbreak said.

COVID-19: Home quarantine likely for expats returning to Sri Lanka from the UAE

The government of Sri Lanka is looking to amend the quarantine rules for its citizens entering the country from the UAE.

Patient with South African variant of COVID-19 identified in Sri Lanka

A South African variant of COVID-19 known as B.1.351 has been detected from a patient in a quarantine center in Sri Lanka for the first time, Director of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine of Sri Jayewardenepura University, Dr. Chandima Jeewandara said.

Country’s COVID situation might pose instant boom: Lab. Technologists

Not increasing PCR tests and conducting COVID-19 surveillance systems might cause more spreading in society and will result in rapid deterioration of the present situation and could lead to instant boom in COVID-19 infections, Sri Lanka Association of Government Medical Laboratory Technologists Ravi Kumudesh said.

Second batch of vaccines from Serum Institute due in two weeks

The second consignment of 500,000 COVISHIELD vaccines from the Serum Institute of India is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka within the next two weeks, Principal Advisor to the President and the Chief of the Presidential Task Force on the Procurement of COVID Vaccine, Lalith Weeratunga said today.

Immune system takes 21 days to respond to vaccine: Expert

It will take at least 14 to 21 days for the immune system to respond to the COVID-19 vaccine, Prof. Neelika Malavige of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura said.

31 bodies of COVID-19 victims buried so far

A total of 31 corpses of COVID-19 victims have been so far buried in the Ottamavadi area, Batticaloa, Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said.

Research conducted on vaccinated people so far shows positive results: Expert

The research carried out on blood samples of those who have been administered with the vaccine against COVID-19 have so far shown positive results, Prof. Neelika Malavige of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura said today.

COVID19: E-channeling system to get vaccines on prior appointment soon: Rosy

An e-channeling system would be introduced enabling the public to book time and date to get Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 in the Colombo Municipality area in the future, Mayoress of Colombo Rosy Senanayake said.

56 COVID positives, 322 candidates sent for quarantine during O/L exam so far

A total number of 56 COVID-19 positive candidates have been identified during the nine days of continuing the GCE Ordinary Level (O/L), Education Minister G.L Pieris said.

Lesser than 10,000 daily PCR tests within last 3 days: NOCPCO

Lesser than 10,000 PCR tests have been conducted in the country daily within last three days, according to the National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO).

Austria suspends AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine batch after death

Austrian authorities have suspended inoculations with a batch of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine as a precaution while investigating the death of one person and the illness of another after the shots, a health agency said on Sunday, Reuters reported.

Covid-19 hotspots, potential active clusters covered under vaccine rollout: State Minister

Sri Lanka has covered vaccination of almost all people above 30 years of age in areas that were considered COVID-19 hotspots with potentialily to generate active clusters, a State Minister said today.

CMC worker caught for collecting money to vaccinate public

A 40-year old employee attached to the Colombo Municipal Council Medical Officer of Health’s office was arrested for collecting money to give Covid vaccine.

COVID-19 death toll surpasses 490 with four more deaths

Four more persons succumbed to COVID-19 increasing the death toll to 493, the Government Information Department said.

Deaths after vaccination; not due to effects of vaccine

The probe and the postmortem conducted into the two deaths that were reported following COVISHIELD vaccination, have revealed that the cause for deaths was not attributed to the vaccine and it had no links to it, Deputy Director General of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath said.

Burying COVID-19 victims begins; nine burials in Oddamavadi today

The remains of nine COVID-19 victims were buried in Oddamavadi, Batticaloa within today commencing the process of burying COVID-19 victims, Army Commander Gen. Shavendra Silva said.

COVAX Vaccine: First consignment to be given to 60-plus age group

The COVID-19 vaccines that are to be received on Sunday, March 7, under the COVAX programme of the World Health Organization would be administered to persons above 60 living in high risk areas, the Health Ministry said.

Badulla Hospital cancer ward closed after 34 test COVID-19 positive

The cancer ward of the Badulla General Hospital has been closed after 29 persons including a doctor contracted COVID-19 virus.

Five more die of COVID-19: Death toll increases to 489

The COVID-19 death toll in Sri Lanka climbed to 489 with five more deaths being confirmed by the Director-General of Health Services, the Government Information Department said.

Colombo city faces poor oxygen percentage threat

Scientific surveys have found out the oxygen percentage in the atmosphere of the Colombo city is gradually declining in proportion to its population, the Ministry of Environment said.

Douglas opposes COVID-19 burials in Iranaithivu

Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda said, the Iranativu area is not a suitable place to bury the bodies of Muslim COVID-19 victims and requested the President and the Premier to consider alternative areas.