Sri Lanka extends COVID-19 lockdown till Sep 21

It has been imposed since August 20.With numbers steadily declining, we are confident that Sri Lanka will once again be able to reopen without risk, Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella tweeted.Meanwhile, the health authorities said that over 10 million of the total 21 million population in the country have been vaccinated with both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.The Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health said that 10,211,537 people have got both COVID-19 jabs as of Friday.Sri Lankas death toll from the pandemic crossed the 10,800 mark on Thursday.

Sri Lanka on Friday extended the COVID-19 lockdown till September 21, the President's office here said.

The decision to extend the lockdown was made during the COVID task force meeting chaired by President Gotabaya Rjapaksa.

The quarantine curfew will now be in force till 4 am on September 21. It has been imposed since August 20.

"With numbers steadily declining, we are confident that Sri Lanka will once again be able to reopen without risk," Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella tweeted.

Meanwhile, the health authorities said that over 10 million of the total 21 million population in the country have been vaccinated with both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health said that 10,211,537 people have got both COVID-19 jabs as of Friday.

Sri Lanka's death toll from the pandemic crossed the 10,800 marks on Thursday. The national tally of the COVID-19 cases stood at 477,636. The country has been reeling from the third wave of the coronavirus since April.