The highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus is spreading rapidly across Sri Lanka and comprise around 75 per cent of the new cases reported in the Western province, experts said, warning that the island nation was facing its most decisive fortnight in its fight against the pandemic, PTI reported.
It further reports that there has been a rise in the number of deaths and new COVID-19 infections driven in large part by the highly infectious Delta variant.
“Now we are reaching the sixth week of its effect. Unlike the other variants, this is different. We know that the number of deaths are ever increasing, yesterday it crossed 150,” Dr Chandima Jeewandara of the University of Sri Jayewardenapura said.
On Wednesday, 156 deaths were recorded, the highest single-day number with over 3,000 new infections also being reported. Meanwhile, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) alleged that the Sri Lankan Government is manipulating data and information on the Covid-19 pandemic, violating the people’s right to know the true situation of the pandemic.
Sri Lanka is fighting the third wave of coronavirus. The first five cases of the Delta variant detected came from Colombo on June 17.
