COLOMBO (News 1st); The Sri Lankan Government believes the COVID-19 numbers reported in their thousands daily could drop to the hundreds in the future.

“We hope to eliminate COVID-19 from Sri Lanka thereafter,” said Education Minister Professor G. L. Peiris on Monday (17).

However, Ravi Kumudesh, the President of the Medical Laboratory Scientists’ Association alleged the government is reducing the number of PCR tests, adding laboratories also receive a lesser number of samples for PCR testing.

Responding to these allegations, Sri Lanka’s Deputy Director-General of Public Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath said the country has doubled its PCR tests, adding there is a need to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases as well.

• 24 GN Divisions in 12 Districts will be isolated on Monday (21)
• 82 GN Divisions in 12 Districts will be released from isolation on Monday (21).
• 51,000+ COVID infections so far in June 2021 – NOCPCO
• 424 COVID cases from Kalutara on Saturday (19); 2,248 cases reported from across the country
• Navy nets Rs. 02 Bn worth of Heroin and Kerala Cannabis in the past 05 days