Risk of new COVID variant spreading in Sri Lanka minimal: Health Ministry

Colombo, Dec.26 (Daily Mirror) - The Ministry of Health asserted that the risk of the JN-1 sub-variant spreading in Sri Lanka is currently deemed very low.

However, the Ministry said to assess this risk, the Medical Research Institute has been directed to conduct genetic tests in collaboration with the Southeast Asia Regional Office of the WHO.

As part of proactive measures, the Ministry has intensified COVID-19 testing efforts, especially in major hospitals.

Recent tests have yielded promising results, with a notably low number of COVID-19 cases reported, and recent samples testing negative, according to the Ministry's statement.

Despite these encouraging findings, the Ministry underscores the importance of adhering to preventive measures.

Meanwhile, expert advice emphasizes practices like wearing masks, frequent handwashing, maintaining distance, and observing proper cough and sneeze etiquettes to curb the spread of influenza and respiratory diseases.

Comments

’’Minister asked me to do, I did it’’: Supplier tells court

BY FAROOK THAJUDEEN Colombo, Dec. 28 (Daily Mirror)- Counsel appearing for the first suspect, owner of the company Isolez Biotech Pharma AG (Pvt) Ltd, involved in the substandard human immunoglobulin deal, told the court that he followed the instructions of the then Health Minister saying that "The Minister asked me to do, I did it". Counsel Jaliya Samarasinghe told this in Court before Maligakanda Magistrate Lochana Abeywickrame. The Maligakanda Magistrate queried the CID whether former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella had prior knowledge of the drug scam that involved over Rs. 01 billion of public money. Magistrate Lochana Abeywickrama made this observation following counsel for two suspects in the case alleging that when their clients had mentioned the name of former Minister Keheliya Rambuwella as the person who had ordered them to carry out the deal of the substandard human immunoglobulin, the CID had failed to mention Minister Keheliya’s name in the statements o...

CID visits Minister Keheliya’s residence

Colombo, Dec 26 (Daily Mirror) - The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is currently recording a statement from former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella. Police spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa said that a group of CID officers visited the Minister's residence in Colombo this morning to record a statement in connection with the import of substandard Human Immunoglobulin to the country.

Public Security minister used shell companies to own London flats

Colombo, Dec 15 - Sri Lanka’s public security minister, Tiran Alles, is the first sitting Sri Lankan minister to be identified in the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists’ Pandora Papers data trove as having offshore holdings. An ICIJ analysis of the leaked records and U.K.’s public property register shows that Alles, a media tycoon and politician, owns two British Virgin Islands companies that hold properties in London. The Pandora Papers is a trove of 11.9 million leaked documents obtained by ICIJ that were at the core of a 2021 global investigation exposing the financial deals and hidden assets of politicians, celebrities, business people and criminals in more than 200 countries. The files came from 14 offshore service providers that specialized in setting up shell companies and trusts in tax havens and secrecy jurisdictions. ICIJ’s analysis shows that Alles’ Brompton Properties Ltd. owns a flat in an affluent area of London that was purchased for about $960,000 ...

lankanNews

Search This Blog