No community spread yet, says Epidemiology Chief

8 hours ago - 15     - 1792

Sri Lanka has not yet reached the community transmission level though COVID-19 cases reported from different parts of the country, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera said today.

Not ready for bad politics: Prez

09 Jan 2021 - 16     - 5060

Even though he was ready for the character of Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa or Gotabaya Rajapaksa, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said today he was not ready to resort to bad politics just as the opposition.

US charges 3 Sri Lankans over Easter attacks

09 Jan 2021 - 18     - 7927

The US Justice Department charged three Sri Lankans on Friday with supporting terrorism for their participation in the 2019 Islamic State Easter attack that killed 268 people, the AFP reported.

Fmr. Directors of Swarnamahal Jewellers Ltd re-arrested

08 Jan 2021 - 13     - 2640

The Criminal Investigation Department re-arrested Jeewaka Edirisinghe, Anjalee Edirisinghe and Asanka Edirisinghe, the former directors of ETI Finance Limited a short while ago on charges of Criminal Misappropriation, Cheating, Money Laundering & other offences, Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said.

Cremating COVID-19 remains will stay: No changes in experts’ decision: Health Minister

07 Jan 2021 - 23     - 5443

Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi today asserted that the decision taken by the experts’ committee to cremate all COVID-19 related dead bodies will not be changed on any social, religious, political or personal grounds.

US Congress in turmoil as violent Trump supporters breach building

07 Jan 2021 - 8     - 1822

Violent supporters of President Donald Trump have breached the Capitol in Washington, as lawmakers met to confirm President-elect Joe Biden’s poll win.

SL seeks access to Covid-19 vaccine from India

06 Jan 2021 - 11     - 2423

Sri Lanka has expressed interest in procuring COVID-19 vaccines from India, visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar said.

Spreading, emerging of COVID sub-clusters away from WP critical: PHI Union

02 Jan 2021 - 1     - 2571

A critical situation of spreading and emergence of COVID-19 sub-clusters has been observed away from the Western Province, Public Health Inspectors’ (PHI) Union Secretary M. Balasuriya said.

Random Rapid Antigen Tests to be conduct in vulnerable areas in the country

02 Jan 2021 - 1     - 1871

Random Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) will be conducted on persons who live in vulnerable areas in the country to identify COVID-19 patients and treat them, Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said.

83 ORIT apparel employees test positive with COVID-19

31 Dec 2020 - 5     - 2928

Eighty-three employees of the ORIT apparel factory in Avissawella tested positive with COVID-19 yesterday.

Russian Envoy alerts Minister Weerasekara on terrorist financing

28 Dec 2020 - 16     - 6799

Russian Ambassador Yury B. Materiy apprised Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekara about terrorist financing activities by extremist groups under the pretext of providing COVID-19 aid.

National Research Council yet to receive proposal on ’Dhammika Paniya’

22 Dec 2020 - 4     - 3876

The National Research Council of Sri Lanka (NRC) has said that the Council is yet to receive the proposal on the syrup used for Covid-19 by Ayurvedic practitioner Dhammika Bandara from Kegalle.

PHI clearance compulsory for Nuwera Eliya, Adams Peak, Kataragama

21 Dec 2020 - 0     - 2700

Public travelling to Nuwera Eliya, Adams Peak and Kataragama will not be able to lodge at any hotel in those areas if the guests fail to produce a PHI clearance report that they are COVID-19 free, PHI Union Secretary Mahesh Balasuriya told Daily Mirror.

Isolation imposed on several GN divisions in Colombo, Gampaha lifted

20 Dec 2020 - 4     - 3132

The isolation imposed on two Grama Niladari Divisions in the Colombo District and three Grama Niladari Divisions in the Gampaha District will be lifted with effect from 5.00 am tomorrow (Monday), Army Commander and Head of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak, Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva said.

Revised dietary guidelines issued for Sri Lankans

10 Dec 2020 - 5     - 8798

The Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine has launched a revised dietary guideline for Sri Lankans, in collaboration with the the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Medicine man’s COVID-19 cure not approved

09 Dec 2020 - 25     - 14510

A potion promoted by ayurvedic practitioner Dhammika Bandara from Hettimulla, Kegalle has not been approved by the Health Ministry.

BIA to reopen for tourists from January

07 Dec 2020 - 20     - 15483

Sri Lanka is to reopen the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) for foreign tourist arrivals by following a travel bubble system.

No complete lockdown of Western Province, public urged not to panic: Army Commander

07 Dec 2020 - 10     - 5025

The Western Province will not come under a complete lockdown during the festive season but areas where patients are reported will come under isolation till the situation is brought under control, Army Commander, Lt. General Shavendra Silva told Daily Mirror yesterday

Lockdown of several areas in Colombo, Gampaha to be lifted from tomorrow

06 Dec 2020 - 7     - 9522

The isolation status which are currently being imposed in several areas, especially in Colombo and Gampaha districts have been revised.

Medical consultants seek possibilities of treating COVID patients at private hospitals

04 Dec 2020 - 7     - 2381

A high-level delegation of medical experts had a discussion with Army Commander Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva to explore the possibilities for accommodating COVID-19 patients for treatment at private sector hospitals.

Burevi makes landfall in Sri Lanka

02 Dec 2020 - 1     - 5868

Cyclone Burevi has made landfall in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Coast, the Department of Meteorology said.

SC rejects FR petitions challenging gazette notification Cremation of COVID-19 victims in Muslim and Catholic communities

01 Dec 2020 - 7     - 5491

The Supreme Court (SC) today rejected the examining of 12 Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed challenging the gazette notification regarding the cremation of COVID19 victims belonging to Muslim and Catholic communities.

UPDATE

Mahara Prison unrest: Eight inmates dead, 71 injured

30 Nov 2020 - 17     - 6171

A total of eight inmates were reportedly killed and nearly 71 other inmates were hospitalized during unrest taken place at the Mahara Prison yesterday, the Prisons Department said.

Unrest at Mahara Prison: Four bodies received to Ragama Hospital

29 Nov 2020 - 1     - 3133

The Colombo North Teaching Hospital, Ragama said it had received four bodies following the tense situation at the Mahara Prison and 25 have been admitted to the hospital.

Schools in Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara cannot be opened: GL

27 Nov 2020 - 12     - 3643

Schools in Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara Districts cannot be reopened now, Minister of Education Professor G. L. Peiris told Parliament yesterday.

Development budget to elevate a shattered economy: PM

17 Nov 2020 - 3     - 1829

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his capacity as the Finance Minister, read out the budget speech envisaging the new government’s development priorities and policies aimed at reviving the shattered economy.

Lock-down Colombo city for at least two weeks: Colombo Mayor

17 Nov 2020 - 10     - 8781

Asserting that new COVID-19 clusters are appearing in the Colombo City, Mayor Rosy Senanayake yesterday called for a lock-down of the city for at least two weeks, to contain the spread.

Sri Lankans stranded overseas to arrive from Nov 18

13 Nov 2020 - 11     - 5053

The repatriation of Sri Lankan citizens overseas which was temporarily suspended will resume next week, with five special flights designated to repatriate Sri Lankans from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Italy, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman.

30 per cent of Colombo’s high-risk areas test COVID positive

11 Nov 2020 - 6     - 7204

At least 30 people out of 100 people who are randomly tested in high-risk areas within the Colombo city detected as COVID positive, forcing the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) to increase the number of PCR tests by five fold, Chief Medical Officer Dr Ruwan Wijayamuni said today.

Employees at 84 institutions allowed to use office ID as curfew passes

01 Nov 2020 - 3     - 11938

Police yesterday issued a special circular allowing employees at 84 institutions, including government agencies, corporations, statutory boards and the media to use their official identity cards as curfew passes.