It is always easy and practical to increase the number of beds in hospitals, but we cannot increase the health service capacity at once, as it consumes more time to recruit and train people to work at the health services, Primary Health Care, Epidemi

State Minister Sudarshani Fernandopulle said that predictions made by a US health research facility would be the case if no interventions are made.

Basil Rajapaksa who is heading the high-powered Presidential Task Force for Economic Revival and Poverty Eradication during the COVID-19 pandemic, last night left the country for the United States, the Daily Mirror learns.

Under the current situation, traffic movents fo and from the town area of Piliyandala are strictly prohibited with immediate effect, Western Provincial Council (WPC) Chief Secretary W.P. Pradeep Yasarathne.

State Minister Sudarshani Fernandopulle said that the elderly population are still at greater risk of death due to Covid-19 in Sri Lanka.

A 37-year-old Sri Lankan, who attempted to smuggle 18 gold biscuits, has been arrested by the Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB) officials at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) this morning.

Sri Lanka did not require the approval of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to commence using the Sinopharm vaccine.

A total of 435 persons have been arrested in various parts of the country for violating quarantine laws during the past 24 hours.

All travellers arriving from overseas including Sri Lankans should be mandatorily quarantined at a Quarantine facility until completion of 14 days, the Health Ministry said.

Thirteen police areas in Colombo, Gampaha, Galle, Ratnapura, Hambantota and Kegalle districts have been isolated with immediate effect, Commander of Army General Shavendra Silva said.

Number of those infected is expected to reach its peak in two weeks More PCR tests will reveal a staggering number of infections Travel restrictions between provinces will not do. We need tighter restrictions

The Disaster Preparedness and Response Division of the Health Ministry said yesterday that seven percent of PCR tests carried out in the first week of May had returned positive.

A total of 50,493 Sri Lankans were administered with the first dose of the Sinopharm vaccine within today.

An organized criminal known as Mambulage Dineth Melan Mambula alias ’’Uru Juwa’’ wanted over several murders and extortion was shot dead by police during an incident at Nawagamuwa, Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said.

The COVID-19 death toll in Sri Lanka climbed to 850 with 23 more deaths being confirmed by the Director-General of Health Services, the Government Information Department said.

Police and Army officers will check the relevant documents and reason for crossing boundaries at every province limit from tomorrow, Community Police Services State Minister Dilum Amunugama said.

Six staff members of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi, India have been tested positive for COVID-19, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today.

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) today said they had made a policy request from the President to close all wine stores, outlets and to motivate people not to smoke and help increase the immunity of the people.

A total of 1,225 individuals have tested positive for Covid-19 so far today increasing the total number of positive cases in the country to 129,755, the Government Information Department said. 129,755

All wine stores and liquor shops should be closed by 6.00 pm daily with effect from today, Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said.

Considering the rapid spreading of COVID in the Western and Southern Provinces, issuing of vehicle revenue licences in the above provinces have been suspended, the Government Information Department said.

While pointing out that political leadership and the mechanism in place to combat COVID pandemic were an utter failure, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today called for the reforming of the COVID Task Force.

A total of 1030 more Covid-19 patients recovered and were discharged from hospitals increasing the total number of recoveries in Sri Lanka to 106,641, the Health Ministry said.

The Railways Department has assigned adequate train service while suspending the long distance run and continue with the inter- regional operations as usual, Deputy General Manager of the Railway Department V.S Polwattage said.

Leave for all police officers, except for those serving in isolated areas have been canceled with immediate effect until May 31, Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said.

Following the announcement by the Government to impose Inter-provincial travel restrictions, the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) opted to limit its services from midnight yesterday, SLTB Chairman Kingsley Ranawaka said.

The current practice of isolating communities at the GN division level is neither preserving economic activity nor controlling transmission of COVID, Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) said.

The prison officers found eight packs containing illegal substances thrown into the women’s section of the Welikanda Prison.

Whilst welcoming the government’s decisions to impose travel restrictions and to focus on getting down COVID vaccines, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) today urged the government to allow the Muslims who are working in Colombo to go back to their v

Kuwait has imposed travel restrictions on several South Asian Countries including Sri Lanka, with immediate effect.