Delta Variant detected from 30% of Western Province COVID samples

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Deputy Director-General of Public Health Services, Dr. Hemantha Herath said the Delta COVID variant was detected from around 30% of the samples obtained from COVID-19 patients in the Western Province.

'It is clear the Delta COVID variant spreads faster than other variants,' he told reporters on Monday (26) adding that it is important to prevent the spread of this variant.

Dr. Chandika Epitakaduwa, the Vice President of the Government Medical Officers Association warned that Inter-Province Travel Restrictions alone will not be useful to control the spread of the Delta COVID variant.

Dr. Priyankara Jayawardena, a Consultant Physician at the De Soysa Maternity Hospital said COVID-19 and Dengue are spreading at probably the same pace across the country.

He urged the people to obtain the vaccine against COVID-19 without delay, adding that there are those who are delaying obtaining the vaccine citing they have a preferred vaccine type.