17% jump in COVID deaths since beginning of 2022

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The number of COVID related deaths had increased by 17% since the beginning of the year, Medical Technical Services Director Dr. Anver Hamdani told the media yesterday.

The number of COVID patients who needed oxygen support in ICUs had significantly increased, Dr. Hamdani said.

The number of such patients had risen by 12% compared to the beginning of the year, and the ICU admissions had increased by 3%, he said.

Dr. Hamdani said that around 30 people were now dying of Covid-19 daily and most of them had not taken the booster shot.

The senior health official urged people to restrict their movements if the country was to avert an explosive spread of Covid-19 again.

Dr. Hamdani said the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases was an indication that the Omicron variant was spreading fast.

Dr. Hamdani said that people should get the booster shot as soon as possible and follow health guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID. Despite the best efforts of health officials only about six million people had so far taken the booster shot, he said.

“People are not taking the booster due to various myths and rumours. They should get the booster as soon as possible and adhere to health guidelines. COVID may have many variants but the way all variants spread is the same,” he said.

Deputy Director General of Health Services, Dr. Hemantha Herath told The Island that despite vaccination, those with underlying conditions and those who were weak could get severe forms of COVID and some of them would even die. Thus, it was the responsibility of the healthy and the active citizens to ensure that the weak and the sick were not exposed to the virus.