HIGHLIGHTS The Crown of India FRIDAY 6 august 2021 - on Course Towards LATEST EDITION a Glorious Future VOL: 10/170 PRICE : Rs 30.00 In Sports Our Athletes lack discipline- Namal Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa criticized the conduct of certain athletes who competed at the Tokyo Olympic Games, claiming there were serious concerns about their discipline. A16 PAGE A7 Health Minister admits Medics concerned over increasing COVID-19 deaths COVID-19 cases spiked since 25 July Orders to allocate normal At Least Three to Four wards to treat COVID patients BY GAGANI WEERAKOON, METHMALIE DISSANAYAKE AND J.T. DE SILVA Patients Die Every Hour An increase can be seen in the number of COVID-19 patients who were hospitalised during past 10 days (25 July - 4 August), Minister Suggest re-imposing stricter travel restrictions of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi BY DILANTHI JAYAMANNE informed Parliament yesterday (5). people, who remain undetected, In response to a question from can be five or six times higher,” he Opposition Leader Sajith Medical officers raised serious added. Premadasa, under the Standing concerns about the surging Right now, it looks like the virus Order 27/2, the Minister said that 21,344 patients numbers of COVID-19 patients and is ahead and winning although the were reported during that period while 591 have died deaths, with statistics showing at vaccination process has been due to COVID-19. least three to four patients dying ramped up, he emphasised. every hour. Almost all main hospitals in the Story Continued on PAGE 2 Vice President of the Sri Lanka country have reached their Medical Association (SLMA), Dr. maximum capacity while some Manilka Sumanatillake told the have already declared emergency. 14 Children have Media that if the country was to win The Ragama and Kalubowila the race between the rapidly teaching hospitals, where wards increasing COVID infections and were flooded with COVID-19 died from COVID to the numbers being vaccinated it patients by Wednesday (4), were would have to re-impose stricter seen having patients under trees date – Wanniarachchi travel restrictions for a short period. and outside the buildings by last He also said Sri Lanka’s daily midnight. BY GAGANI WEERAKOON AND METHMALIE COVID-19 cases count could be Meanwhile, with at least 20 DISSANAYAKE several times higher than the children being admitted with COVID official figures. -19 to the Lady Ridgeway Hospital It has been recorded that 45,831 children have “With the Delta variant of concern per day, measures were taken to been infected with COVID-19 until now while 14 having a higher transmissibility, the send some of the patients to the children have succumbed to the virus, Minister of actual number of virus-infected Rajagiriya Ayurveda Hospital. Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi informed Parliament yesterday (5). Fifty per cent of deaths have been reported from Story Continued on PAGE 2 the 0 – 5 year age group. Vaccinating Sajith denied access Namal explains Story Continued on PAGE 2 Tokyo trip expenses: prisoners against to detained teachers Arrested teacher COVID begins BY NABIYA VAFFOOR ‘State Minister unionists released on bail Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa was Ranasinghe BY THAMEENAH RAZEEK denied entry to the Colombo Harbour Police BY HANSI NANAYAKKARA station yesterday (5) by officers of the Sri bought my tickets’ Vaccinating prisoners against COVID-19 Lanka Ports Authority. Premadasa sought The 44 protesters, who were arrested during a began yesterday (5), according to the access to the Police station to look into the BY GAGANI WEERAKOON AND demonstration in front of the Presidential Secretariat Prisons Department. condition of individuals who were arrested METHMALIE DISSANAYAKE in Colombo on Wednesday, were enlarged on The Sinopharm vaccine will be given to on Wednesday (4) for allegedly behaving in personal bail yesterday by Colombo Fort Chief ... the prison inmates. an unruly manner. Sports Minister Inmates at the Welikada, Magazine and Police arrested over 44 individuals Namal Rajapaksa Colombo remand prisons will be belonging to teacher trade unions, who were yesterday (5) said vaccinated during the first phase, engaged in a protest in front of the State Minister according to Prisons Department Presidential Secretariat. Roshan spokesman Chandana Ekanayake. He “What kind of democracy is there in the Ranasinghe added that the programme will thereafter country if the Leader of the Opposition, a sponsored his be adopted in other prisons across the Member of Parliament and lawyers are not ticket to visit Japan country. allowed to enter the Police station? The to attend the Tokyo Parliamentary Privileges of... Olympic Games. Making a Story Continued on PAGE 2 clarification regarding reports 2nd compensation claim for that four ministers MV X-Press Pearl disaster Calling State employees attended the Story Continued on PAGE 2 back to work Olympics, in response to SJB MP Hesha Report to be handed Withanage in Parliament, Rajapaksa said he and only the State Minister of Required Nitrogen, over to AG – MEPA Health Min says Sports attended the games while... Potassium for farmlands BY FAADHILA THASSIM pregnant women Story Continued on PAGE 2 Soil testing to begin from The report on the second compensation claim for the MV X-Press Pearl disaster will will get waiver Ampara – Agri Ministry be submitted to the Attorney General (AG) Govt’s policy on within 48 hours, Chairperson of the BY GAGANI WEERAKOON AND BY THAMEENAH RAZEEK Marine Environment Protection Authority METHMALIE DISSANAYAKE organic fertiliser (MEPA), Attorney Dharshani Lahandapura The Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of said. Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi unchanged Agriculture will begin soil testing in various types of She stated that the compensation will be said that guidelines and instructions are agriculture lands in the Ampara District next week to purely economic for expenses incurred being prepared to limit pregnant women – Weeratunga provide the proper amount of Nitrogen (N) and from 3 June to 31 July, adding that the being recalled for duty. Potassium (K). environmental damage caused by the She made this remark in response to a BY THAMEENAH RAZEEK At the President’s Media Centre yesterday (5), maritime disaster, currently being ... question raised by Opposition Leader... Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture Senior... Despite the fact Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 that certain Story Continued on PAGE 2 decisions are made and COPA reveals shortcomings in Dept changed, based on Amendments to KNDU Bill scientific advice and need, the being analysed – Chamal of Probation, Childcare Services Government’s policy on the use BY W. K. PRASAD MANJU BY GAGANI WEERAKOON AND of organic METHMALIE DISSANAYAKE fertilisers has not State Minister of Defence changed, Chief Chamal Rajapaksa told Ceylon It was revealed, at the Committee Adviser to the Today the amendments on Public Accounts (COPA) sitting President Lalith submitted to the Kotelawala this week, that the Department of Weeratunga National Defence University Probation and Childcare Services has affirmed. (KNDU) Draft Bill are being failed to formulate a national policy to In response to queries by journalists, studied and that the public will protect the rights of the child, enact Weeratunga said it is difficult to direct be given opportunity to voice relevant laws and formulate policies a country that had been accustomed to their suggestions and views as in line with international standards to use chemical fertilisers for decades, to well. safeguard the rights,... adopt organic fertilisers overnight. Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 Story Continued on PAGE 2 A2 FRIDAY 6 AUGUST 2021 NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 COVID-19 cases She said that 134,179 PCR tests have been steps to fulfil the increasing oxygen demand. conducted from 25 July to 4 August. One of them is importing six liquid oxygen At Least... According to the Minister, 23,804 patients cylinders which have capacity of 20 tonnes,” Hospital Director, Dr. G. According to records issued crisis situation. were being treated at hospitals by 23 July. she elaborated. Wijesuriya said that the first by the Epidemiology Unit on 27 However, that number had been increased to Meanwhile, Minister Wanniarachchi told floor of the Ayurveda Hospital and 29 July 2021 there were Responding to questions, 30,017 on 1 August. During those days, there Ceylon Today that she has ordered health was utilised to transfer the 1,711 and 1,940 cases when contacted, Dr. Herath were about 140 -150 patients receiving authorities to allocate normal wards to cater to COVID positive children. respectively. However the said yesterday (5) that he had treatments in ICUs. A total of 164 patients were the increasing number of COVID-19 infected Dr. Sumanatillake, who is numbers leaped to 2,370 by 29 been to Galle and Matara receiving treatments in ICUs by 4 August, she patients, while allowing wards that are freed up also a consultant July 2021. By Monday (2) the hospitals to assess the added. Speaking further, the Minister said to be set aside for patients stricken with other Endocrinologist, said “not beginning of August, there has situation. “If it comes to the that four COVID-19 variants, Alpha, Beta, illnesses and diseases. only there is an increase seen been a steady increase in the worst we would have to utilise Delta and Gamma, have been reported She took this decision after most major in the number of COVID cases detections till a total 2,561 available resources,” he said worldwide. Out of them Alpha, Beta and Delta hospitals reached maximum capacity due to a but once more there is hike in cases were recorded on noting that the available health variants have been reported in Sri Lanka. sudden spike in COVID-19 cases during the the number of COVID deaths. Wednesday (4). staff could not be expanded.