COLOMBO :As the health ministry announces a total of 35 coronavirus related deaths for October on 09, bringing the total tally of casualties to 13,331, its state minister State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana advised people not to think that the threat from the Covid-19 virus is over.
The state minister pointed out that public gathering in weddings funerals and parties are still high and this can lead to another wave of infection.
According to the figures released by the Govt. Information Department, the victims confirmed today includes 18 males and 17 females. One of the deceased, a female, is below the age of 30 years while four of the victims are between 30-59 years.
Speaking to reporters, he said that inter-provincial travel restrictions are still being maintained and that however many people are gathering in large numbers at places of worship, funerals, weddings and at functions organized by family members or friends.
He said that this is setting a bad precedent and that he had personally observed yesterday people gathering in large numbers near religious places such as the Ruwanweli Maha Seya and Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi.
The state minister emphasized that this is a country where just 2-3 weeks ago around 200 coronavirus deaths were being reported on a daily basis and that the people should not think that the virus is completely gone now.
He said that they cannot provide any guarantee that this virus will not mutate further in the future and that it is evident across the world that new variants of the virus keep on popping up all over the world while the number of cases and deaths continue to rise.
“Do not get the wrong idea that the risk is gone,” he requested the public.
