Sri Lanka’s COVID positivity rate at 15.8 – WHO

Sri Lanka’s Covid Test Positivity Rate (TPR) remains at 15.8 percent, according to the weekly situation report put out by the World Health Organization (WHO) on August 20.

The WHO, in its report says, Sri Lanka continues to indicate an increase in the number of new cases for the fifth consecutive week. All provinces except the Central province reported an increase in new cases compared to the previous week. Southern and north-western provinces are reporting more than 50 percent of new cases compared to the previous week.

The majority of the new cases in week 32 were reported in Western Province

(57%) followed by Southern Province (13%). Colombo and Gampaha districts in Western province have contributed 45% of new cases in the country in the last week.

Sri Lanka ranks third in South and Southeast Asia region in terms of vaccination drive. According to the report, 22.3 percent of people have received their full course of vaccines. The country trails behind Bhutan which has vaccinated 62.8 percent of its population and the Maldives 54.3 percent.

In India, 8.9 percent of people have been fully vaccinated. Indonesia has administered both shots to10.7 percent people, Bangladesh to 3.4 percent,thailand to7.9 percent , Nepal to11.6 percent.

(Source: Daily Mirror – By Kelum Bandara)