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Health officials warn of possible spike in COVID-19 cases
ECONOMYNEXT – The recent drop in COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka has come to a halt and an increase in cases have been reported in several parts of the island, health officials said, warning of a possible rise in patient numbers in the near future.
“We have seen caseload increases in Colombo excluding the Colombo Municipal Council area, Gampaha, Anuradhapura, Galle and Matara districts as well,” Sri Lanka Public Health Inspectors Union (PHI) Chairman Upul Rohana told EconomyNext.
Numbers are also increasing in the North Western and Southern provinces, he said, though no significant changes have been detected in the hill country or in the Northern Province yet.
Rohana said the numbers being reported are of cases that got positive due to public gatherings and travels right after the restrictions were lifted without adhering to the health guidelines.
“Even if we impose restrictions, the virus is inside the province. Travelling is fine if people follow the guidelines, but the problem is that they don’t,” he said.”
“We don’t expect a rise in the death toll by December because of vaccination, but there may be a rise in cases.”
The current increase is not high, but it can be considered the start of a major increase, said Rohana, noting that the present numbers are of those who got infected around the time restrictions were lifted.
“The result of the past two long weekends will come in another two weeks. It can increaseto an unexpected number,” he said.
Deputy Director of Health Services Dr Hemantha Herath said people coming from different areas for gatherings and then returning to their respective areas must be avoided.
“We had a similar situation last May and April. After the second wave was contained, public movement increased and the situation turned. Then came the Delta variant and that accelerated the spreading,” Herath told reporters on Friday (05).
At a meeting held at the Ministry of Health Friday morning, Herath had called for increasing Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs).
“This programme has been under way for a long time now. The RAT test is being done for suspected patients coming to hospital. Random RAT tests also will continue,” Herath said.
Meanwhile, PCR testing in Sri Lanka has seen a drop over the past few weeks. Explaining this, Chief Epidemiologist Dr Samitha Ginige said conducting more PCR tests covering the population is not productive.
“When we do a PCR test of a patient, even after four to six months, it can come back positive. But that doesn’t mean that person poses any threat, to close contacts or society at large because the virus does not spread from them,” he said.
Ginige said after taking all the facts in to consideration, the advisory committee has changed the testing policy to meet the requirements of the current situation in identifying patients.
He said apart from doing RAT tests island wide, any person suspected to have symptoms should visit the nearest hospital or Medical Officer of Health (MOH) office and do an RAT test.
“We ask anyone who has symptoms to go to a hospital for a check-up. All MoH offices also do RAT tests on a daily basis. If anyone gets positive, then they will be directed to a treatment centre. If there are people that do have symptoms but doesn’t get positive from RAT test, t hey will be subjected to PCR tests to understand their condition,” said Ginige.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
