Apr 29 (Island) Dr. Prasanna Cooray, in a Q&A session that appeared in The Island, drew our attention to SL's COVID-19 Case Fatality Ratio (CFR). This is the ratio of the number of deaths to the number of confirmed cases. He pointed out, using the April 13 data for the CFR figures for neighbouring countries, SL's 3.2% (total cases � 218), India 3.4% (10,541), Pakistan 1.7% (5,716), B'desh 4.9% (803), "that it is unacceptably high" given SL's reputed public health system. more..

Apr 29 (DM) Some happy news during this lockdown period because of the Covid 19 pandemic is that it has proved to many who are addicted to liquor that drug addiction is a myth. What is needed is strong discipline and self control. This can be imposed from outside or could come from within the person. Alcoholism and the problems related to it is a major crisis in Sri Lanka. While it is a major health problem leading to deadly non-communicable deceases, it also has created many economical, social more..

Apr 29 (CT) The pervasive, if at all, COVID-19 pandemic can perhaps be called the worst ever global curse that is to kill off millions of people as it swathes mercilessly across every single human habitation. Without exaggeration, it's perhaps the first known type of health terrorism against humanity. We need to seriously consider the fact that global medical experts are almost unanimously in accord that this virus was birthed out of a creation in the realms of biological warfare from the minds more..

Apr 29 (Island) SL has earned notoriety for the underutilisation of its public assets. Full potential of its bus and train services has not been tapped, and there are many state-owned buildings which have remained vacant for years. Besides, most state ventures are underperforming due to mismanagement. Those who have governed the country for the last several decades, their lackeys appointed to top positions in the state sector and servile bureaucrats should take the blame for more..

Apr 29 (TM) Pictures of the Mount Lavinia beach stretch being filled up took social media by storm last week. Many were confused and unaware that such a thing was being done. We can safely say that it is the most popular beach in Colombo, attracting thousands of people on a daily basis, therefore the filling up of the beach resulted in inquiries pouring in. We embarked on the journey to find out what caused the action of restoring more..

Apr 29 (Island) After all, Bob Simpson made a comeback at 41, so you can�t rule out Dhammika Prasad, who will turn 37 next month, returning to Test cricket. However, Simpson�s return was forced on Australian cricket after the cream of their players had been wooed by business tycoon Kerry Packer for World Series Cricket. Sri Lankan cricket is not facing any such dangers and more importantly, the fast bowling reserves are in the safe hands of Chamida Vaas. more..

Apr 29 (DM) Department of Labour has taken steps to undertake a survey on private sector establishments affected due to COVID-19. Commissioner General of Dept of Labour requested employers to complete the survey which is extremely important to take appropriate decisions in terms of protecting both the business and employment. The complete survey form should be submitted on or before 3rd May 2020. For conglomerates or diversified business more..

Apr 29 (FT) In discussion with the Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga on key concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa explained the steps taken when a person tests positive for COVID-19 virus, Preisdent�s Media Division said. �At the moment, we have minimised this virus from spreading in the country,� the Prez said. This is possible because from the beginning, more..

Apr 29 (DN) In response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Sri Lanka, The Coca-Cola System in Sri Lanka has committed its support by pledging a contribution of Rs 130 million to strengthen the national response of minimizing the impact and to combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. This pledge will be used to effectively contribute to the ongoing national COVID-19 response by extending significant support to the Ministry of Health (MoH) and to vulnerable communities. more..

Apr 29 (DN) Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates, has helped SL exporters dispatch nearly 100 tonnes of local produce to markets in Europe, the Middle East and Asia over the past two weeks, keeping supply chains and revenue flows open despite the suspension of scheduled passenger flights from Colombo. The cargo airline deployed two Boeing 777-300 passenger aircraft operating as freighters to support exporters of perishables achieve speed to market and more..

Apr 29 (ST) For more than a month, Kanchana and Vaas have not seen their two children�a daughter of six and a son of three. And they cannot say when they will. 33-year-old Prabodhini Kanchana is a nurse at the outpatient department of the National Hospital in Colombo. Her husband, 41, is a public health inspector (PHI) with the Colombo Municipal Council and has been leading the country�s COVID-19 response from the front. more..

Apr 29 (CT) The clearance of cars at the Hambantota Port is slow, and the port is concerned that they would not meet the 30 April deadline for clearing imported vehicles. "No vehicles were cleared over the weekend, and the number cleared on Monday was 203, while port dues have been paid for 425 chassis, which we hope would leave the port soon. We cannot understand why they are not clearing the vehicles on time, as the demurrage waiver period is ending soon," more..

Apr 29 (FT) The UNICEF, with the support of the WFP, has procured and delivered a consignment of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services in support of SL�s ongoing response to Coronavirus (COVID-19). This consignment of PPE includes over 3,000 N95 masks. Further consignments of PPE, which will include over 11,000 protective coveralls and 33,600 surgical masks, will be delivered over the coming weeks, UNICEF said. more..

Apr 29 (Island) The 134 MW Uma Oya Hydroelectric Power Plant, whose construction has been halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, would be completed by October, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said. Minister Amaraweera, during his visit to the project, on Monday, requested CEB officials to complete the project, within six months, to cut down on the use of costly thermal energy and boost the agricultural sector. more..

Apr 29 (Island) Sri Lanka-China Friendship Association (SLCFA) yesterday condemned the efforts of the United States to intervene in internal affairs of sovereign states, on the pretext of investigating the COVID-19 crisis. Such attempts from a country that has a history of destabilising other states must be viewed with great suspicion, especially as it can set a precedent, President of SLCFA, Attorney-at-Law, Ananda Goonatilleke, has said. more..

Apr 29 (FT) Centre for Journalism and Education (CJE) said it was unethical for camera crews to forcefully film families of Sri Lanka Navy personnel being quarantined by the Department of Health and urged all media institutions and personnel to respect the privacy of individuals suspected of having contracted COVID-19 when reporting on the pandemic. Due to a number of Navy personnel recently having tested positive for having contracted COVID-19 while being deployed in efforts to more..

Apr 29 (ST) Special flights bringing home SL students from neighbouring countries have triggered restlessness and panic among thousands of migrant workers in the Middle East, some jobless or without legal documents, in fear of the pandemic and desperately wanting to come back, but authorities want them to stay put until the situation is brought under control here. �Once the airport (in SL) is in operation, and all facilities to quarantine more..

Apr 29 (Island) Lal Wijenayake, a National list nominee of the JVP-led National People�s Power, has said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa should take immediate measures to avert a constitutional crisis against the backdrop of the Election Commission�s failure to conduct parliamentary polls before the June 2 deadline. The Constitution stipulates that the parliament meets within three months after dissolution. President Rajapaksa dissolved parliament on March 02. more..

Apr 29 (Island) In a letter, dated April 28, 2020, SLMC Leader, Rauff Hakeem, has appealed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to facilitate the speedy airlift of Sri Lankans stranded in Chennai. The letter to Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ravinatha Aryasinha, sought help to evacuate 160 Sri Lankans (from all communities, Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims), stranded in Chennai, owing to COVID-19 related sanctions on international travel and lockdown in effect in India. more..

Apr 29 (Island) The Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL) said the Supreme Court should be consulted on the constitutional issues in respect of the 2020 general election caused due to eruption of covid-19 pandemic. Asked what would be the HRCSL stand on the current impasse with the Election Commission (EC) fixing 2020 general election for June 20, its Chairperson, Dr. Deepika Udagama said that the HRCSL appreciated more..

Apr 29 (FT) On top of the demurrage free period, SLPA has extended the occupancy charges till 7 May for all ports, as a relief measure to the import trade and shipping community. To ensure continuous operation at all ports SLPA has instructed SAGT and CICT to offer related concession from 14 April to 7 May to all consignees. Only basic occupational rent will be charged at terminals for all imported local TEUs. The terminals of JCT and UCT of SLPA, terminals of SAGT/CICT will act accordingly. more..

Apr 29 (ST) Prisons Department, in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19, is housing new arrivals in prison camps for a period before letting them into jails. Prisons Commissioner-General Jayasiri Tennakoon said new remand prisoners were being sent to the Boosa and Pallensena prison camps where they would be kept for 21 days. �We are taking all precautions to prevent an outbreak in our prisons,� he said. Mr. Tennakoon said a section of the Bogambara Prison complex in Kandy, more..

Apr 29 (EN) Health Ministry has issued the following guidelines for supermarkets, and restaurants and eateries when Coronavirus curfews are relaxed. Several activities are still banned and people have been advised to maintain social distance of at least one meter. The National Health Service of the UK and Centres of Disease Control are advising 2 metre distance especially if people are talking. more..

Apr 29 (CT) SDIG Ajith Rohana said that the Police have been empowered to apprehend any person who violates the ongoing curfew regulations and the Quarantine Ordinance, adding that five Gazette notifications, which had entrusted the Police with such powers, had already been issued. He made this claim to journalists who had gathered outside the Nugegoda Chief Magistrate's Court when the case against former UNF MP Ranjan Ramanayaka was taken up for hearing yesterday (28). more..

Apr 29 (FT) Central Bank Annual Report 2019 counselled the govt to ensure measures are initiated to strengthen govt revenue mobilisation, particularly in the context of renewed risks to economic recovery amidst the widespread COVID-19 outbreak and its adverse impact on fiscal policy and debt sustainability in SL. The Annual Report, which was released yesterday, noted that in 2019, total revenue as a percentage of GDP declined due to the reduction in both tax & non-tax revenue. more..

Apr 29 (FT) There should be a normalcy on the country with the novel coronavirus COVID-19 eliminated to a substantial level by at least 15 May, if the General Election is to be held on 20 June, EC Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said. �A minimum period of five weeks is required for candidates to campaign for the election, which would mean that the country should be free of COVID-19 by at least 15 May, so that a free, fair, transparent and more..

Apr 29 (AD) A total of 31 cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Sri Lanka on Tuesday while the tally moved up to 619. Out of this daily total, 21 cases have been identified as naval personnel while 6 of the patients were those who had contacts with them, says Dr. Anil Jasinghe. He added that rest of the four COVID-19 cases were army personnel. Most of the naval personnel were from the Welisara Navy Base, others were from Medirigirya, Aranayake, Polpithigama, Agalawatta & Habarana areas. more..

Apr 29 (CT) The Govt is considering requesting financial aid from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank projects, to buy equipment, to increase the number of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to recognise COVID-19 patients, the Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine said yesterday (28). In a statement, the Ministry said that this was discussed during the meeting of the special action evaluation committee to control COVID-19 at Ministry auditorium. more..

Apr 29 (AD) President Gotabaya Rajapksa has met with the Maha Nayake of Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sanga Sabha Most Ven. Dr. Ittapana Dhammalankara Thero and His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith at the Presidential Secretariat today (28) and exchanged views on several current issues. Inquiring about the current progress of the COVID-19 prevention activities, both Maha Nayake more..

Apr 29 (DM) The date that the President declared that the General Elections were to be held, in pursuance to his proclamation by Extraordinary Gazette on 02 of March, i.e. 25th April came and went. Given the alarming surge the COVID Curve has shown in the last few days, one only wonders in trepidation, as to what would have been the status of the dreaded curve, had the election taken place on that date. In a context where the President stubbornly refusing to reconvene Parliament, more..

Apr 29 (DM) Since the COVID-19 outbreak, there has been much focus on the efforts of healthcare workers and security personnel who are working tirelessly to contain the virus spread. But there�s another group of workers who have attracted less attention. These are the thousands of municipal workers who have continued to work around the clock to keep our urban spaces clean. Although the city streets are quiet these days, municipal workers can be seen going about their daily work, more..

Apr 29 (AD) Police says that 554 individuals were arrested for violating the curfew within the 24 hours ending at 6 am today. Meanwhile 159 vehicles have also been taken into custody during this period. Total number of arrests made so far for curfew violations is 41,557 while 10,719 vehicles have also been taken into custody. Meanwhile the Colombo district anti-vice unit has arrested a 22-year-old youth who had been more..

Apr 29 (NR) 143 SL students who were stranded in New Delhi, India have been brought back to the island on a special flight. The SriLankan Airlines flight UL-1195 carrying the SL students, arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport at around 4.30pm. The students were disinfected at the airport and were then inquired into health conditions and whether they carried symptoms of the coronavirus. The students were subsequently escorted to a quarantine facility by the SL Army. more..

Apr 29 (DM) Ministry of Health today played down concerns raised over antibody testing kits from China after India suspended use of the testing kits. A report circulating on social media yesterday raised concerns over the kits being used in Sri Lanka and alleged that they have not been tested for quality. However, Director General of Health Services, Dr. Anil Jasinghe said that the concerns were unfounded. He said that while every testing kit cannot be used in Sri Lanka, more..

Apr 29 (AF) With the outbreak of COVID-19, the near future may see the BIA re-opening it services to arriving passengers. With this in mind the SLAF was tasked with the development of a disinfection system which could be used for all passengers arriving by air. Under the supervision of the Director General Engineering, the Aeronautical Engineering Support Wing at SLAF Base Ratmalana developed, fabricated and more..

Apr 29 (AD) A total of 226 naval personnel is among the COVID-19 patients confirmed in SL thus far, says the Commander of Army. According to Lt Gen Shavendra Silva, 147 of these cases have been detected from the Welisara Navy Base. The rest of the 79 officers were reported while on leave, he added. Confirmed novel coronavirus cases tally in Sri Lanka moved up to 622 as of this afternoon. The three COVID-19 patients identified today were also revealed to be naval personnel. more..

Apr 29 (AD) Alexander Fernando, a veteran action-film actor and stunt director of SL cinema, passed away on Wednesday (29) at the age of 80. The National Film Corporation stated that the veteran actor was receiving treatment at Colombo National Hospital at the time of his demise. Being a national wrestling champion, he has represented Sri Lanka at the Commonwealth Games in 1962 and was qualified for the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. He also took part in Asian Games in 1966. more..

Apr 29 (EN) Govt cannot predict whether there will be new clusters of COVID 19 positive patients emerging although the Health Services are taking all precautions. Director-General of Health Services Dr Anil Jasinghe is saying that the emergence of fresh community clusters depends on whether the public adheres to the instructions that have been given by the health authorities. He went on to say that the contact tracing of more..

Apr 29 (AD) Australian High Commissioner to SL David Holly and Australian Defence Adviser Group Captain Sean Unwin handed over Australian supplied Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to Lt Gen Shavendra Silva, Head of National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak on Wednesday (29). At the handover ceremony, High Commissioner Holly said �Australia expresses solidarity with Sri Lanka as we both face the impacts of the global COVID-19 crisis together. more..