Sri Lanka is still at the early stages of the COVID wave impacted by the Delta variant and it is high time to take action before it hit the entire country, Dr. Chandima Jeewandara of the Allergy, Immunology and Cell Biology Unit, Department of Immunology Molecular and Molecular Medicine of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura has told to The Island, The English daily yesterday.
As the newspaper has reported Sri Lankan researchers have found the Delta community spread in early June and by the end of July Delta is the most dominant variant in Colombo. According to Ft Jeewandara, 90% of the cases reported in Colombo are those with Delta variants. I think there are is a significant number of cases in Gampaha and in the South, but it has not spread elsewhere. For example, almost 100% of the cases in Nuwara Eliya are still the Alpha or UK variants,” he said.
Dr. Jeewandara said that the Delta variant was twice as communicable as the variant detected in Wuhan and that therefore a rapid and significant rise in cases could be seen. He said that following health guidelines like washing hands, wearing masks and social distancing were important.
“However, even if we do all this, Delta will use the slightest opportunity and infect us. Five seconds without the mask is enough for the virus to enter the body. We have to take immediate steps. We have to stop this before it spreads to other districts,” he said.
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