Sri Lanka reports patient with COVID-19 variant

COLOMBO (News1st): A new variant of the COVID-19 virus has been detected in a patient identified in Sri Lanka, the Department of Immunology and Molecular Sciences at the University of Sri Jayawardenapura said. "We tested the samples that came to us in the past month and detected a mutation quite similar to the variant found in the UK," Professor Chandima Jeewandara, the director of operations at the department noted. Meanwhile, the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) also raised questions on the possibility of people entering the country while being infected by the new variant. "Even though this new strain has less complications, a large number of people could be infected by the virus," GMOA spokesman Dr Samantha Ananda noted. He pointed out that the spread of the new variant may spike deaths caused by the virus in the country. The Association of Government Medical Laboratory Technologists has pointed out that the new varient of the virus may not be detected through PCR tests as well. Civic and opposition groups have accused the government for carrying out a "pilot tourism project" involving Ukrainian tourists amidst the emergence of new COVID-19 strains.