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Raging Covid-19 infections top one thousand on three consecutive days

Published

5 years ago

2021/05/2

Sahan Weerasooriya

For the first time since the eruption of the contagion in SL

By Suresh Perera

The spike in Covid-19 infections has reached alarming proportions with positive numbers exceeding one thousand per day over the past three days, health officials said.

On Thursday alone, 1,491 persons tested positive for the virus from many parts of the country, according to figures released by the Health Ministry’s Epidemiology Unit at 6.00 pm.

This was the first time that the number of positive cases topped one thousand for three consecutive days since the outbreak of the contagion in Sri Lanka in 2020, they said.

With the latest positive cases, the total number of infections in the country shot up to 108,154 as of April 29, 2021. The number of persons who had recovered and discharged from hospitals so far stood at 95,445.

Army Commander and head of the anti-Covid drive, Gen. Shavendra Silva said that any area considered “high risk” will be placed under isolation without prior notice as part of concerted efforts to stem the ongoing wave of infections.

He said that if the situation escalated with infections continuing to spiral, buildings belonging to the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and tourist hotels will converted into temporary treatment centres.

Initially, facilities of the SLA will be used and in case there’s a shortfall depending on emerging infection numbers, tourist hotels will also be drawn in, the Army chief told journalists in Colombo.

Scientists of the Sri Jayewardenepura University have confirmed that the Corona virus now sweeping across the country is a virulent variant found in the United Kingdom. It is, however, not still known how the strain sneaked into Sri Lanka to wreak havoc.

Many areas in eight districts continue to remain isolated as the highly contagious strain with a bigger viral load continued to rage largely due to unrestricted travel, shopping in crowded marketplaces and festivities during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, health officials said.

Unlike earlier, most patients now show symptoms and need immediate ICU treatment, they added.

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President meets senior officials of the Urban Development Authority

Published

5 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

A discussion between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and senior officials of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) was held this afternoon (18) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The meeting focused extensively on new development projects planned by the Urban Development Authority. The President emphasised the need to ensure that the budgetary allocations made for these projects in the current year are utilised effectively within the same financial year.

Detailed discussions were also held on projects planned to be implemented jointly by multiple institutions, including the importance of holding consultations with all relevant agencies to reach final decisions and the need to clearly define responsibilities for each institution in both implementation and maintenance phases of the projects.

Attention was drawn to key initiatives such as the Kelani River flood control project, water management projects in Colombo city and the Beira Lake restoration project. The need for a dedicated programme for low-income housing in areas such as Ratmalana and Moratuwa was also highlighted. During the discussion, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake underscored the importance of introducing a structured management framework for the effective coordination of certain projects.

Deputy Minister of Urban Development, Eranga Gunasekara, Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Senior Professor Kapila C.K. Perera, Chairman of the Urban Development Authority (UDA), M.G. Hemachandra and the Heads representing the Urban Settlement Development Authority (USDA), Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation (SLLDC), National Physical Planning Department (NPPD) and the Condominium Management Authority (CMA) were also present at the meeting.

(PMD)

News

CEAT Kelani Branch Inter-Company Employees’ Union makes donation to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

5 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

The Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the Kelaniya Branch of CEAT Sri Lanka has made a financial donation of Rs. 1,148,000.00, a day’s salary of its members to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund established to support the restoration of livelihoods and the rebuilding of areas affected by cyclone Ditwah.

Secretary of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, D.G.S.D. Navaratne, handed over the donation to the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabhath Chandrakeerthi at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (18).

Treasurer of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, Y.P.I.C. Karunathilaka, together with members of the Executive Committee, were also present on the occasion.

(PMD)

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Prime Minister off to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum

Published

6 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya departed on an official visit to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in several high-level academic and diplomatic engagements aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of education, development studies, research collaboration, and international partnerships.

As part of the visit, the Prime Minister will meet with Ms.Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education of the United Kingdom, at the UK Department for Education, to discuss areas of cooperation in education and related sectors. She is also expected to meet Ms.Yvette Cooper, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, for discussions on matters of bilateral interest and cooperation between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.

In addition, the Prime Minister is expected to meet Ms.Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, on the sidelines of the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will attend a public event at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex and she will also take part in the ceremony marking the 60th Anniversary of the Institute of Development Studies. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a session at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies at the University of Oxford, followed by a question-and-answer session with scholars and students.

The visit is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s engagement with academic institutions, international development partners, and Commonwealth member states, particularly in the areas of education, research, policy dialogue, and capacity building.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]