Delta variant hits Colombo with highest number of infections followed by Gampaha and Kalutara

• Data reveals grim picture   
• Delta hijacks Colombo   
• Gampaha remains at risk   
• Infections soar in 
• most districts   
• Weddings, events blamed   

BY Easwaran Rutnam   

Latest data released by health experts shows a grim picture for Sri Lanka as a result of the coronavirus with key cities at risk.   

Data released by the Institute for Health Policy shows a rise in the number of people infected by the virus in several districts over the last few days.   

While numbers soared in May-June, there was a brief dip before an increase was recorded again, mainly after the island-wide travel restrictions were lifted in the first week of July.   

The Colombo District has recorded the highest number of infections over the past few days followed by the Gampaha and Kalutara districts.   

The Delta variant has been the main cause of the rise in numbers in Colombo, health experts said last evening.   
Director of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine of the University of Sri Jayawardenapura Dr. Chandima Jeewandara tweeted last evening saying lab tests had found that 75 percent of the Covid cases detected in Colombo during the last week of July were people infected with the Delta variant.   
Colombo saw a high of between 400-600 cases reported daily over the last few weeks while similar numbers were seen in Gampaha.   

Health authorities told Daily Mirror that most recent infections were as a result of people gathering in numbers at weddings and other functions as well as in public places.   

The number of people infected by the coronavirus had been low between January and April this year but rose after the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.   

As of yesterday, the third wave saw 4,118 deaths as opposed to 596 during the second wave and 13 during the first wave.   

The number of people infected since the Sinhala and Tamil New Year in April crossed 29,000 yesterday. This included nearly 1000 people who arrived in Sri Lanka from overseas.