Secretary to the Ministry of Health, Dr. Anil Jasinghe, says PCR testing will be increased at state hospitals to detect COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka, due to the outbreak of a new strain in Asian Countries. 

Addressing the media yesterday, Dr. Jasinghe said that an increase in COVID cases has been observed mostly in Asian countries at present, with a significant number being reported in Singapore. 

He said that, based on this outbreak, as preventive measures, the Health Ministry intends to increase PCR testing at state hospitals using the existing testing facilities at the Medical Research Institute of Sri Lanka (MRI), and the Kandy and Galle General Hospitals.

“This will help us monitor the COVID situation in Sri Lanka and also help identify the presence of the new strain. Per the cases reported in other countries, the new strain of COVID has proven to have a lower death rate,” he said. 

The Health Ministry Secretary further said that these preventive measures have been taken following discussions with various COVID-related departments, including the Epidemiology Unit, focusing on steps that could be taken under the current circumstances of the Health Services. 

He assured that currently, Sri Lanka has not reached a state to cause fear among the public, warning that this does not mean that Sri Lanka may not detect new cases. 

Dr. Anil Jasinghe explained that COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka are very less at present, adding that even though the coronavirus pandemic ended, COVID-19 cases continued to be detected in Sri Lanka at a low rate, and have become a common illness now. 

When asked if the public needs to start wearing masks and use sanitisers, he said the public does not need to do that just yet, as there wasn’t a significant outbreak in Sri Lanka. 

“But it is good to do so as a general practice to avoid getting infected and spreading infections,” he advised. (Newswire)

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Dr. Anil Jasinghe has been appointed as the new Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Media.

According to the President’s Media Division (PMD, the appointment was made by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The official letter of appointment was handed over to Dr. Jasinghe by the Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake at the Presidential Secretariat today. (Newswire)

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The Ministry of Environment is considering prohibiting certain single-use plastic products this year as part of its roadmap for plastic pollution control from 2022- 2023.

Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe told the media that regulations are being formulated to ban certain plastic products, including plastic string hopper trays, forks and spoons, and garlands.

The importation of pellets will also be prohibited due to existing stocks and also to help mitigate the foreign exchange crisis, he said. 

Dr. Jasinghe further stated that the new regulations will come into effect in the coming months. 

Alongside the regulations, the Environment Ministry is also looking at other measures such as recycling and reducing the use of plastic products.

The Ministry is also focussing on replacing certain plastic products with locally found reusable materials which will help improve the livelihoods of those in the local industries, Dr. Jasinghe said. (NewsWire)

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