Sri Lanka has witnessed the first-ever death of a pregnant woman today from the COVID-19 virus, the Public Health Inspectors’ Union said.

While claiming that the Government is into every effort to provide the second dose with the same vaccine for those who were inoculated with the AstraZeneca vaccine to shield against COVID-19, State Health Minister Channa Jayasumana said today that th

While claiming that urgent action and steadfast leadership are indispensable to stopping the catastrophe,UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia George Laryea-Adjei said the Governments must do everything within their power to stop the devastation.

The programme to administer the second dose of the AstraZeneca Covishield vaccination was given to the Health Workers of the Municipal Council yesterday at the Campbell Park Ground. Pic by Nimalsiri Edirisinghe

The Eastern Province Governor Anuradha Yahampath today advised the Provincial Ayurvedic Commissioner to convert all Ayurvedic hospitals in the Province as COVID treatment centres with immediate effect.

Eleven more COVID-19 related deaths were reported today bringing the death toll in Sri Lanka to 720, the Health Ministry said.

The students who obtained the first and second places and the island ranks during the recently announced 2020 GCE Advanced Level (A/L) examination results will not be published this year, the Examination Commissioner General Sanath B. Pujitha said.

The cricket board (BCCI) in coronavirus-hit India will help to move Australia’s entire Indian Premier League (IPL) cohort to the Maldives or Sri Lanka, Cricket Australia boss Nick Hockley said on Wednesday.

The Government bears the full responsibility of providing public transportation in the country, despite the pandemic situation, Transport State Minister Dilum Amunugama said.

The Environment Ministry had decided to take legal action against companies that have violated the gazette notification issued by the Ministry regarding the use of disposable single-use plastics and polythene.

The Attorney General has concluded action in 27,206 criminal cases during his tenure from May, 2019 to May, 2021, AG’s Coordinating Officer said.

The Attorney General today announced that there is no legal impediment in facilitating MP Rishad Bathiudeen from attending parliamentary sessions, AG’s Coordinating Officer said.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa arrived in Parliament today. He was accorded a warm welcome by the Chief Government Whip Johnston Fernando along with State Ministers Kanaka Herath and D. V. Chanaka at the main Parliament entrance.

Among 160 countries, Sri Lanka has been ranked 69th in the National Cyber Security Index (NCSI), the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) said.

Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Namal Rajapaksa today stressed that the government would not direct funds allocated to fight the COVID-19 to be used for any other projects.

The number of Covid-19 positive cases identified in the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation (CFHC) in Colombo increased to 39 following PCR tests conducted in recent days.

Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekara today requested the Speaker not to allow MP Rishard Bathiudeen, who was detained under Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), to attend Parliament until the investigations against him are completed.

The total number of COVID-19 cases identified in the Western Province surpassed the 1,000 mark yesterday, the National Operation Centre for Prevention of Covid-19 Outbreak said.

The people who contracted coronavirus in the Colombo district are being requested not to hide in their houses in fear of being taken out of the province to serve quarantine formalities, Western Provincial Council Chief Secretary W.P. Pradeep Yasarath

Some 12 Grama Nilladhari (GN) Divisions in Colombo, Gampaha, Ratnapura and Vavuniya Districts have been brought under isolation with immediate effect, the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) said.

Seventy-five people have been taken into custody by the police during raids conducted yesterday at night clubs, gaming centres and spa centres in the Western Province for violating quarantine regulations issued by the Director-General of Health Servi

US Marines have been pictured practising manoeuvres on Dartmoor after arriving from a warship anchored off the coast of Ireland. (Daily Mail)

Very few people are seen on the roads in Piliyandala and Panadura town areas as certain Grama Niladhari divisions in those areas have been isolated. Pix by Waruna Wanniarachchi

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged Sri Lankans to take the latest coronavirus surge seriously as daily infections continue to rise rapidly.

The government will explore the possibility of giving the second jab of anti-Covid- 19 vaccine using a different brand from the one used for the first dose, to accelerate the inoculation process, Co-Cabinet spokesman, Plantation Minister Dr. Ramesh P

It has been proposed to construct a Buddhist shrine related to the traditional features of Sri Lanka at the White Horse Temple premises of the People’s Republic of China that is respected by the global Buddhist community.

Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa today urged the government to get its priorities correct and halt the order placed for the purchase of new helicopters from Russia.

It will be possible to give the COVID-19 vaccine as a cocktail, based on the results of the research which is in progress to ascertain the possibility of vaccinating the second dose with an alternate brand of vaccine, State Health Minister Sudarshani

A total of 710 more COVID-19 patients have been detected increasing the daily count of COVID-19 cases to 1860, the Government Information Department said.

Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi today assured that the Government will be able to vaccinate 63 per cent of the population against COVID-19 within this year.