Two foreign nationals have died in a new Covid-19 wave in Sri Lanka with authorities warning of a more deadly variant of Coronavirus in the island which is triggering pneumonia and killing younger patients.
A 46-year old foreigner residing in Colombo 02 had died on April 24, the state information office said.
He was being treated at a private hospital in Colombo when diagnosed with Covid-19 and he was transferred to National Hospital Kandy. He developed Covid pneumonia and suffered respiratory and heart failure.
No underlying conditions were mentioned.
A 63-year old foreigner residing in Colombo 04 had died on April 23, while being at a treatment center in Colombo. He developed Covid pneumonia and suffered multiple organ failure. He had a chronic kidney condition.
A 46-year old male from Ratgama had died at Karapitiya Hospital on April 22. He had developed Covid pneumonia and a secondary bacterial infection. No underlying conditions were mentioned.
A 65 year old male from Kuliyapitiya had died on April 24 after being transferred to Homagama Base Hospital. He developed Covid pneumonia.
Sri Lanka has recorded 642 deaths so far.
On April 24, 880 new domestic Coronavirus cases were confirmed. The total with foreign returnees was 895 only slightly down from 969 a day earlier.
Public health inspectors were chasing new clusters and ordering home quarantine to battle the new outbreak. On Saturday Adikarigama in Kaluthara police area was isolated.
Health authorities say a possible new variant is spreading which is causing severe symptoms and deaths in young persons. A 18 year old and a 35 year old was reported to have died in hospital on Saturday.
Authorities have urged the public to stay at home and avoid travel especially for the next two weeks.
Sri Lanka running out of ICUs for COVID-19 as younger cases with severe symptoms surge
It is not clear how the new variant came to the island.
However Sri Lanka had relaxed institutional quarantine for some foreign returnees including vaccinated ones. However vaccinated persons were also getting infected in many countries though their symptoms are believed to be less severe.
The new wave was also putting pressure on the health system.
Meanwhile persons under treatment had risen to 5,793 from below 4000 at the beginning of the week.
Sri Lanka was running out of ICU facilities and hospital beds dedicated for Coronavirus patients.
Sri Lanka has two tier treatment framework with asymptomatic patients housed at secondary treatment centres.