Sri Lanka's COVID-19 patient count surpasses 28,000

Colombo [Sri Lanka], December 8 (ANI/Xinhua): The number of positive COVID-19 patients in Sri Lanka surpassed the 28,000-mark on Tuesday after over 600 patients were detected during the previous day, statistics from the Health Ministry showed here.
Out of the total 28,580 patients detected since the first local patient tested positive in March, 20,804 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals, bringing down the active patient count to 7,634.
The number of deaths from the virus rose to 142 after two deaths were reported on Monday, official figures showed.
Sri Lanka is presently facing a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic after two new clusters were detected in October, from Minuwangoda on the outskirts of Colombo and another from a fish market in Peliyagoda in Colombo.
According to the Epidemiology Unit, these two clusters have led to over 25,000 new patients being detected in recent weeks while some parts of capital Colombo remain under isolation to prevent a further spread.
Nearly 917,000 PCR tests have been conducted since March and health authorities continue to conduct more tests throughout the country in order to detect any unidentified clusters.
Sri Lanka has made it a law to wear face masks and maintain social distance and anyone defying these rules will be fined and may even face a 6-month jail term.
Schools in several districts, including in the capital of Colombo, remain closed since October. (ANI/Xinhua)