Category: Local News

The Delta variant of COVID-19 has been found to be spreading ultrafast in the Colombo area, Director of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine of the Sri Jayawardenapura University Dr. Chandima Jeewandara stated.

Medical officers raised serious concerns about the surging numbers of COVID-19 patients and deaths, with statistics showing at least three to four patients dying every hour.

Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi yesterday said that an integral home based care programme for the treatment of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients will commence from Monday and over 300 experts in the medical field will provide medical advice to such patients voluntarily.

A group of individuals including Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa who went to inquire about the condition of teachers and others arrested during yesterday’s protest in front of the Presidential Secretariat have been obstructed by Police.

Due to a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases, some hospitals have reached maximum capacity, and have been forced to declare an emergency.

State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana yesterday admitted that a health crisis was unfolding in Sri Lanka and added there was the possibility of Covid-19 cases doubling or trebling in a couple of weeks.

The government stated that it has not made any changes to the decision taken by the President to use only organic fertilizers for local agriculture and there will be no changes to this decision in the future as well.

Japanese organic fertiliser manufacturing institutions have pledged their assistance to develop the industry here, says State Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government Affairs Roshan Ranasinghe.

The police have arrested 42 individuals including 16 women over unruly behaviour and violating quarantine regulations during a protest staged in front of the Presidential Secretariat today (August 04).

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will lift a ban on transit passenger traffic from Sri Lanka, India, Nigeria, and other countries from August 5, UAE’s National Emergency and Crisis Management Authority (NCEMA) said on Tuesday.

The Attorney General’s Department has informed the Special Permanent High Court-at-Bar that it will not proceed with the charges against Former Navy Commander Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda in relation to the 2008 / 2009 youth abduction case.

The Officer in Charge of the Maharagama Police Chief Inspector Janakantha was critically injured when barricades were toppled by the university students during the protest yesterday in Rajagiriya.

The Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) in a statement yesterday warned of impending disaster by the Government’s ill-timed relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions.

Certain tax reliefs given by the current Government has aggravated the economic crisis in the country, Jathika Jana Balawegaya (JJB) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said in Parliament yesterday (3).

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a joint proposal made by Mass Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and Education Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, to establish a National Radio Channel for Primary, Secondary, Tertiary and Higher Education.

Sri Lanka lifted a ban on chemical fertiliser imports Tuesday after farmer protests, forecasts of severe food shortages and worries about the island’s crucial tea exports.