Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana Courtesy The Daily Mirror

It has been confirmed that the workers of the Brandix apparel factory had contacted COVID-19 from a Ukrainian national, State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemiology and Coronavirus Disease Control Sudarshani Fernandopulle told Parliament today.

“Workers at Brandix had got infected through this Ukrainian national. It has also been found that some workers at the hotel in which the Ukrainian stayed at, had also got infected with COVID 19.

The workers at Brandix had contact with the hotel employees. Therefore they have got infected from these hotel employees,” the Minister said.

She said COVID 19 strain which is currently spreading in Sri Lanka was the same.

Responding to a question raised by Jathika Jana Balawegaya MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the House yesterday, the State Minister said the research carried out by the University of Sri Jayewardenepura had confirmed that the strain which was being spread was same as the one which is currently spreading in Europe.

It has also been confirmed that the virus load within the bodies of those who have been infected in the second wave is high. The virus load of those who found positive at Brandix and Peheliyagoda clusters is also found to be high,” she said.

We are currently carrying out random PCR tests on all Sri Lankans in vulnerable areas. We have also increased PCR testing capacity in all hospitals including small hospitals.

Special focus is made on carrying out random PCR tests on those in coastal areas to control the spread of the disease from illegal immigrants,” the State Minister also said.

The State Minister said all those who arrive in Sri Lanka were subjected to PCR tests currently.