Government Medical Officers’ Association yesterday cautioned on the spike in COVID-19 positive cases reported from January 1.
“More than 11,000 COVID positive cases have been reported only during the last 19 days of this month, Government Medical Officers’ Association Editor Dr. Haritha Aluthge said.
He further said that if this situation continues, there is a possibility of reporting 20,000 new cases during January this year alone.
“Since the country has only a very limited number of beds with limited curative and preventive care resources, limited number of doctors, nurses and other health workers, it is questionable whether the country has the capacity to manage such a situation,” he said.
The GMOA Editor charged that the country failed to manage travel movements during Christmas and the new year season. As a result, new COVID mini- clusters were emerging now in most parts of the country.
Around 45 percent of new cases are now reporting outside the Western Province mainly from Southern, Central, Northern and Sabaragamuwa provinces. Only 55 percent of new cases are reported within the western province. Number of deaths reported outside the Western Province has also increased.
The total number of COVID positive cases reported so far from the country has exceeded 54,000. But still the COVID-19 situation in the country has not become worse since health authorities have been able to maintain a 86% recovery rate and 0.5 percent fatality rate.
Dr.Aluthge stressed the importance of increasing the number of PCR tests conducted daily to a limit of at least 15,000 to 20,000 to trace more positive cases. But still the country conducts an average of 14,000 tests per day. He further stressed the importance of raising awareness among the public about the gravity of the COVID-19 situation and act responsibly.
“The latest development in the symptoms of COVID-19 can cause an acute infection inside the mouth and form thick patches all over the tongue. So the people should be aware about these new developments of the virus,” he added.