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

• We are compelled to increase the number of PCR tests we carry out from 200 to 1,000 per day

By Yohan Perera   

At least 30 people out of 100 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 yesterday.  

Dr. Wijayamuni told Daily Mirror that the high-risk areas were mainly Colombo North and Borella areas.   “We have noticed that almost 30 persons out of 100, on whom PCR tests were carried out, are found to be COVID-19 positive, in the high-risk areas which are already affected.   “This situation is seen only in high-risk areas such as Modara, Wanathamulla and Ginthupitiya,” Dr Wijayamuni said.   “We are compelled to increase the number of PCR tests we carry out from 200 to 1,000 per day because of this situation. We carry out tests on all first and second contacts. We also carry out tests in all parts of Colombo now,” he added.   Also, he said almost all cases are connected to clusters which already exist.