Education Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said he would meet with a group of leading doctors and educational sector experts in Sri Lanka next Wednesday to seek advice on the opening of schools, pre-schools, Pirivenas and universities.

21 Grama Niladhari divisions in Ratnapura and Kalutara districts as well as one estate in Nuwara-Eliya District isolated with immediate effect, Army Commander General Shavendra Silva announced.

The COVID-19 death toll in Sri Lanka climbed to 786 with 22 more deaths being confirmed by the Director-General of Health Services, the Government Information Department said.

A COVID-19 patient with Indian Variant (B.1.617) was found from a Quarantine facility in Sri Lanka for the first time, Director of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine of Sri Jayewardenepura University Dr. Chandima Jeewandara said.

The Government yesterday announced that steps would be taken to provide Cabinet-approved relief with effect from April to the dependents of war heroes who were killed or disabled due to terrorist activities.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday stated that irrespective of obstacles, challenges and difficulties, the Government will always remain committed to policies and development programmes it has put forward until they become realities.

The Government has decided to convert closed garment factories to COVID treatment centres as the hospitals and treatments centres in the country are running out of capacity due to the third COVID wave.

More areas in Kalutara, Gampaha and Jaffna districts have been placed under a state of isolation with immediate effect, the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) announced.

A total of 19 COVID-19 deaths were reported yesterday (07) recording the highest single-day deaths from the virus since the outbreak in the country.

Isolation orders have been issued on 08 Grama Niladhari divisions in Galle and Colombo districts with effect from 10.00 pm today (May 07), says the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO).

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said today that he was hopeful that the World Health Organization (WHO) would make effort to fulfil Sri Lanka’s need for 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine for the second dose.

Sri Lanka has approved the emergency use of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, says Prof. Channa Jayasumana, the State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals.

All schools, pre-schools, universities, piriven institutions, and tuition classes in Sri Lanka will remain closed until further notice, said Education Minister Professor G. L. Peiris today (07).

Acting Solicitor General Sanjay Rajaratnam has been nominated by the President to be appointed as the new Attorney General, Parliament sources said.

The Civil Aviation Authority has decided not to permit passengers with a travel history to India in the past 14 days to disembark in Sri Lanka.

The government should consider vaccinating the 319,000 pregnant women on a priority basis the Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (SLCOG) said yesterday.