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The issuance of smart cards to people who have been fully vaccinated has already commenced. In the first round, this card is issued to people who are preparing to go abroad.

This card is issued by the National Institute of Information Technology and the opportunity to register for the card has been provided online. 

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Island-wide quarantine curfew will come into effect between 10.00 pm and 4.00 am from tomorrow (August 16), the Head of National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO), General Shavendra Silva announced.

The quarantine curfew order will be in effect every day until further notice, the Army Commander said further.

Accordingly, movement of the members of public is strictly restricted during this period, except for employees in essential services.

198 COVID-19 deaths were confirmed for Tuesday (24), said the Director General of Health Services. According, the total number of COVID-19 fatalities in Sri Lanka increased to 7,948.

The prevailing inter-provincial travel restrictions will be thoroughly implemented from midnight today, Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said.

He said the inter-province public transport would also be suspended from midnight today.

“However, the inter-provincial travel restrictions will not be applicable for banking, tourism, ports, apparel sectors and essential services,” the Army Commander said.

The decisions were taken during the COVID Task Force meeting held this morning at the Presidential Secretariat.

He also said it was utmost essential to operate restaurants and shopping malls under strict adherence to health guidelines.

Musician Iraj Weeraratne, who was appointed as director of the National Youth Services Council (NYSC), has resigned from the post.

Weeraratne has sent a letter to the Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Namal Rajapaksa today informing his decision to resign from the post.

He said the decision was taken as he had to attend to some urgent personal work.

Minister Namal Rajapaksa had appointed Iraj Weeraratne as a director of the NYSC in August last year.

Former Minister Mangala Samaraweera has tested positive for the coronavirus.

The former Finance Minister is currently under treatment while his condition is said to be stable.

The maximum retail price for 60 medicinal drugs has been declared by the Minister of Health.

The Minister of Health, Keheliya Rambukwella declared this via the issuance of a special gazette notification.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today alleged that the Government was manipulating data and information on the Covid-19 pandemic violating the people’s right to know the true situation of the pandemic.

Former JVP MP Sunil Hadunnetti told a news conference that it was vital for the people and decision making bodies to know the true data and information on the pandemic situation.

He said it was reported that there was a contradiction in the data and information issued by the Covid Task Force and the Provincial Directors of the Health Services and pointed out that it was a serious matter.

“It was reported that there was a contradiction of the data on Covid patients in the Gampaha District. We doubt the statistics on the Covid mortality was also twisted,” he said.

Hadunnetti said the Covid Task Force was getting data through the Health Ministry and added that it was either the Director General of Health Services or Head of the Covid Task Force was releasing the incorrect information.

Three unique mutations appearing in Delta variant together found for the first in the world from Colombo, Dr Chandima Jeewandara said.

Dr Jeewandara who is the Director of the Allergy, Immunology and Cell Biology Unit of Sri Jayewardenepura University said this was identified in the latest genetic sequencing carried on samples obtained from several areas in the country.

“The Indian lineage with three mutations seem to be the dominant in majority of samples in the Colombo district,” he said.

“The three mutations are A22V, A701S and A1078S. One of the mutations, which is A701S has been originated from Sri Lanka while A22V has been described in different parts of the world and A1078S mutation has been detected in Malaysia,” he underlined.

Dr Jeewandara said they were closely monitoring this as it is a significant finding and investigating the importance of this finding to see whether there is an advantage with these three mutations for the survival and transmissibility of the virus.

Meanwhile, he said out of the 88 samples of COVID-19 patients obtained from several districts, 84 cases were of Delta variant.

“The cases of Delta variant were mainly detected in the Colombo district. The other patients were detected from Kandy, Matale, Ratnapura, Nuwara Eliya, Galle, Vavuniya, Maharagama, Malabe and Gampaha,” he added.

A total of 156 more COVID-19 related deaths that occurred yesterday (11) were confirmed by the Director-General of Health Services today pushing the death toll to 5,620.

According to the Government Information Department,69 females and 87 males are among the deceased.

The Quarantine Curfew will come into effect from 10 PM on Friday (20) to 04 AM on Monday (30), said Army Commander General Shavendra Silva.

During this period all essential services, medical supply & distribution, agriculture, and textiles sectors can operate without any issue.

Further, all individuals over the age of 60 will be subject to a special vaccination program by the health authorities.

The temporary license issued for the production of the so-called “Miracle COVID Tonic” known as Dhammika Paniya has been revoked.

Dr. Dhammika Abeygunawardena, Commissioner of Ayurveda of the Department of Ayurveda confirmed this speaking at a press briefing to apprise the public of the Ayurvedic treatment given for COVID-19 on Wednesday (11).

“As of now, 14 medicines have been given recommendations and legalized,” he said.

“We had given a temporary license to the Ayurvedic medicine you mentioned but it did not pass the clinical trials” the commissioner added in response to a question.

According to the Commissioner of Ayurveda “the temporary license issued for that product was revoked”.