News

Health Minister urges people to learn to live with coronavirus for next three and a half years

Published

6 years ago

2020/11/19

By Saman Indrajith

Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi told Parliament yesterday that the COVID-19 virus was going to last for the next three and a half years and people would have to learn to live with the problem.

The Minister said so responding to a question raised by Ratnapura District SJB MP Hesha Withanage, who demanded to know from the government why some of the experts who had been involved in the battle against the virus during the first wave were kept out of the anti- COVID-19 campaign.

Minister Wanniarachchi said the government kept changing its strategies as per the instructions of the World Health Organization and made appointments as per the requirements of those strategic changes.

“This virus is evolving. The first virus case was detected in Sri Lanka on January 27. You cannot compare the previous situation with the situation we are facing now. None of the countries in the world follow the strategies they had at the time of the advent of this virus. Entire world is following the guidelines and instructions of the WHO. This is a pandemic. At first we closed the country for a couple of months as per WHO instructions. The WHO has changed its instructions. They no longer tell us to keep the country closed.”

MP Withanage said doctors Anil Jasinghe and Jayaruwan Bandara had been at the forefront of the fight against the virus during the first wave and asked whether their services would be obtained again.

The Minister said Dr Jasinghe got a promotion as the Secretary to the Ministry of Environment. “He attends the COVID-19 committee meeting of the Health Ministry. Dr Jayaruwan Bandara was temporarily appointed as the spokesman of the Health Ministry till the appointment of the new Director General of Health Services. He did not want to continue in the same position after the appointment of the new Director General and he resigned from the post of spokesman.”

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Sun directly overhead Moratuwa, Kesbewa, Handapangoda, Idalgashinna, Yudhaganawa, Kotiyagala and Panama about 12.08 noon today (05)

Published

3 hours ago

2026/09/5

Priyan

The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.

The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is
overhead today (05) are Moratuwa, Kesbewa, Handapangoda, Idalgashinna, Yudhaganawa, Kotiyagala and Panama about 12.08 noon

News

Namal remanded until Sept. 18 over Airbus deal investigation

Published

4 hours ago

2026/09/5

Thilina Walpola

Namal Rajapaksa being brought to the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National Organiser and Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa was yesterday remanded until September 18 by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court following his arrest by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) in connection with an investigation into the controversial SriLankan Airlines Airbus aircraft transaction.

Rajapaksa appeared before the CIABOC at around 9.15 am yesterday to record a statement after being summoned over the transaction. He was taken into custody following several hours of questioning and subsequently produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate.

The investigation centres on allegations surrounding the acquisition of six Airbus A330 and eight A350 aircraft by SriLankan Airlines in 2013, in connection with an alleged USD 2 million bribe.

Former SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer Kapila Chandrasena and his wife, Priyanka Niyomali Wijenayake, had previously been named in connection with the alleged bribery.

Chandrasena was arrested on March 12 as part of an investigation launched by the CIABOC under the Anti-Corruption Act and was subsequently released on bail. He was later found dead on May 8 while on bail, with police suspecting that his death was a suicide.

Open warrants have been issued for the arrest of Wijenayake, who is named as the second suspect, and Shamindra Rajapaksa, named as the third suspect, in the case pending before the Fort Magistrate’s Court in connection with the Airbus transaction.

The investigation has also received assistance from Airbus, with a delegation from the company’s parent group in France visiting Sri Lanka during the first week of August. The delegation provided statements and other assistance to the CIABOC as part of the ongoing inquiry.

Rajapaksa’s arrest and remand yesterday mark a further development in the widening investigation into the controversial aircraft deal.

News

Dengue cases surpass 96,000 this year

Published

4 hours ago

2026/09/5

Thilina Walpola

The number of dengue cases reported in Sri Lanka this year has risen to 96,040, with 72 deaths recorded so far, according to the National Dengue Control Unit.

The Unit said 10,155 cases were reported in August alone, highlighting the continuing spread of the disease across several parts of the country.

The Western Province has recorded the highest number of cases at 50,760, followed by the Southern Province with 13,931, the Central Province with 8,788 and the Sabaragamuwa Province with 7,910.

At district level, Gampaha has reported the highest number of cases at 20,444, followed by Colombo with 19,008.

Kandy has recorded 7,043 cases, while Kalutara and Matara have reported 6,181 and 6,154 cases,a respectively.

The National Dengue Control Unit said 50 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas across the country have been identified as high-risk areas for dengue.

Health authorities have continued to urge the public to take measures to prevent mosquito breeding, particularly in areas where a high incidence of dengue has been reported.