COVID spread surge by foreigners and virus at controlled stage are unacceptable: Lab Technologist’s Assn.

The statements made by the Health Ministry claiming that there is an increase in COVID spread by foreigners and the virus situation in the country is under control are not scientific, Head of the Sri Lankan Association of Government Medical Laboratory Technologists Ravi Kumudesh said.

He said even the data issued by the Health Ministry shows that the scientific surveillance process is absent.

Therefore, accurate data, based on a systematic COVID test process to make a scientific prediction of whether the disease is declining in the country, Kumudesh said.

For that random PCR tests, active tracking tests and inactive tests of patients admitted to hospitals should be conducted properly, he said.

"Currently, the Health Ministry does not provide any data on the incidence of random COVID tests, active and inactive tests. Therefore, there is no scientific basis for the statement made by the Health Minister that the disease is declining or under control in Sri Lanka," Ravi Kumudesh said.

During the last ten days, more than 68,000 PCR tests have been performed, and more than 2,500 cases have been detected, he added. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)