National Health Services DG Dr. Anil Jasinghe clarified about the news which was being shared, saying that a suspected Covid-19 patient from Ja-Ela, Suduwella area had contracted the virus for a second time.
Appearing on National Television, he said that the suspected patient was subjected to 2 separate PCR tests and his results were negative, so that he was discharged from IDH and sent back home initially.
“However, he was asked to self-isolate for 2 more weeks and during that period, it was identified that he was Covid-19 positive again when he got admitted to the National Hospital citing chest pain”, he added.
“From these instances, it could be inferred that the virus could be living inside one’s body with minimal activity and wouldn’t show symptoms, but that doesn’t mean the carriers of the virus are infected or could be spreading the virus”, Health DG further explained.
Health DG explains the background for claims emerging that a person from Suduwella was tested again for Covid-19 after being discharged from IDH