<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sri-lanka">Sri&nbsp;Lankan</a> President Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced on Friday that most people aged 30 and over would be vaccinated by late September, as deliveries of millions of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">COVID vaccines</a> from various manufacturers were due soon.

"At present, the vaccination drive is being carried out successfully in all provinces of the country. In July, we expect to receive 4 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine and 2.5 million doses of Sinovac. Arrangements have also been made to obtain 2 million Sputnik V doses. In addition, 5 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine, 2.5 million doses of Sinovac and 2 million doses of Sputnik V are expected in August. By getting 3 million more Sinopharm vaccine doses in September, we could vaccinate 13 million people by the end of September this year. Accordingly, we can vaccinate almost everyone over the age of 30 by that time. This is a very satisfactory situation."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-to-begin-provincial-rollout-of-covid-19-vaccine-387703">Sri Lanka to begin provincial rollout of COVID-19 vaccine</a>

Rajapaksa said he personally spoke to world leaders to acquire supplies of COVID vaccines to ensure they get enough doses for some 13 million adults above the age of 30.

The Indian Ocean Island, with a population of 22 million people, has recorded 2,48,050 infections and 2,814 deaths.

Sri&nbsp;Lanka&nbsp;reported 248,050 total confirmed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> cases as of this Friday, and 2,814 deaths, according to the health ministry data.

The island nation has fully vaccinated only 3.98 per cent&nbsp;of its population so far, Johns Hopkins data here showed on Friday.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced on Friday that most people aged 30 and over would be vaccinated by late September, as deliveries of millions of COVID vaccines from various manufacturers were due soon.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced on Friday that most people aged 30 and over would be vaccinated by late September, as deliveries of millions of COVID vaccines from various manufacturers were due soon. "At present, the vaccination drive is being carried out successfully in all provinces of the country. In July, we expect to receive 4 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine and 2.5 million doses of Sinovac. Arrangements have also been made to obtain 2 million Sputnik V doses. In addition, 5 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine, 2.5 million doses of Sinovac and 2 million doses of Sputnik V are expected in August. By getting 3 million more Sinopharm vaccine doses in September, we could vaccinate 13 million people by the end of September this year. Accordingly, we can vaccinate almost everyone over the age of 30 by that time. This is a very satisfactory situation." Also read | Sri Lanka to begin provincial rollout of COVID-19 vaccine Rajapaksa said he personally spoke to world leaders to acquire supplies of COVID vaccines to ensure they get enough doses for some 13 million adults above the age of 30. The Indian Ocean Island, with a population of 22 million people, has recorded 2,48,050 infections and 2,814 deaths. Sri Lanka reported 248,050 total confirmed coronavirus cases as of this Friday, and 2,814 deaths, according to the health ministry data. The island nation has fully vaccinated only 3.98 per cent of its population so far, Johns Hopkins data here showed on Friday.

Sri Lankan president hopes to vaccinate majority of over-30s by end of September

Sri Lankan Police will use drones to monitor the movement of people in areas declared as isolated due to a vast spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in recent weeks, local media reported on Friday. 
 
The drones will be flown over areas under lockdown in the Western Province, including several areas within the capital Colombo.

Police Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana said the assistance of the air force had been sought for this operation and they would use high tech drones to monitor any illegal movements within the isolated areas. 
 
At least 20 people were arrested for stepping out of their homes in the lockdown areas until Friday morning. 
 
Air force Spokesman Group Captain Dushantha Wijesinghe said it had deployed three teams for this purpose and six to 10 drones will be used, on the request of the police. 
 
He said the drones will monitor the main routes and areas in an isolated area to see if any gatherings are ongoing, or playgrounds are being used, or if there are any movements on roads or any shops being kept open. 
 
"We will strictly ensure that no breach of privacy is caused on private residences of people," the air force spokesman said. 
 
Sri Lanka's&nbsp;Western Province has detected over 4,000 new confirmed cases in recent weeks since the detection of two new Covid-19 clusters, in Minuwangoda, the outskirts of the capital, and from a fish market in Peliyagoda, Colombo, last month. 
 
Several areas have remained under isolation since early October and people have been prohibited from entering or leaving the area. 
 
Sri Lanka has reported a total of 15,723 cases since the first local patient was detected in March, while the death toll stood at 48.

Sri Lankan Police will use drones to monitor the movement of people in areas declared as isolated due to a vast spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in recent weeks, local media reported on Friday.

Sri Lankan Police will use drones to monitor the movement of people in areas declared as isolated due to a vast spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in recent weeks, local media reported on Friday. The drones will be flown over areas under lockdown in the Western Province, including several areas within the capital Colombo. Police Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana said the assistance of the air force had been sought for this operation and they would use high tech drones to monitor any illegal movements within the isolated areas. At least 20 people were arrested for stepping out of their homes in the lockdown areas until Friday morning. Air force Spokesman Group Captain Dushantha Wijesinghe said it had deployed three teams for this purpose and six to 10 drones will be used, on the request of the police. He said the drones will monitor the main routes and areas in an isolated area to see if any gatherings are ongoing, or playgrounds are being used, or if there are any movements on roads or any shops being kept open. "We will strictly ensure that no breach of privacy is caused on private residences of people," the air force spokesman said. Sri Lanka's Western Province has detected over 4,000 new confirmed cases in recent weeks since the detection of two new Covid-19 clusters, in Minuwangoda, the outskirts of the capital, and from a fish market in Peliyagoda, Colombo, last month. Several areas have remained under isolation since early October and people have been prohibited from entering or leaving the area. Sri Lanka has reported a total of 15,723 cases since the first local patient was detected in March, while the death toll stood at 48.

Sri Lanka to use drones to monitor areas isolated due to COVID-19

All the 906 Sri Lankan Navy personnel, who tested positive for the coronavirus in April while assisting health authorities to capture drug addicts with the infection, have recovered, the Navy said on Tuesday.

In early April the sailors at the Welisara Navy camp in a northern suburb were found positive for the COVID-19 after they assisted health authorities to apprehend a number of drug addicts who were to be quarantined.

The first Navy victim of COVID-19 was reported mid-April when the camp was ordered to be closed.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lankan-govt-claims-ravana-was-the-worlds-first-aviator-314725" hreflang="en">Sri Lankan govt claims Ravana was the world's first aviator</a>

''The Welisara Sri Lanka Navy cluster is no more infected as all 906 sailors have now recovered from the coronavirus,''&nbsp;Captain Indika de Silva, who is also Navy's spokesperson, said.

Sri Lanka has so far recorded 2,728 COVID positive cases but only about 600 of them are currently in hospitals. 
So far 11 deaths have been reported due to the contagious coronavirus.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/chinas-debt-trap-is-india-out-of-the-colombo-port-deal-314771" hreflang="en">China's debt trap: Is India out of the Colombo Port deal?</a>

Sri Lanka is still grappling with its second largest cluster with&nbsp;over 500 cases from a drug rehabilitation center in the north central region. 
A sudden spike two weeks ago nearly forced another lockdown as contact tracing from the drug center led to cases from many areas. However the authorities said the cluster had been brought under control.

The sudden spike led to more stringent application of quarantine laws with people being arrested on the streets for non-wearing of masks.

Sri Lanka is scheduled to hold parliamentary polls on August 5 and it was only last week that health guidelines for conducting the election were announced.

All the 906 Sri Lankan Navy personnel, who tested positive for the coronavirus in April while assisting health authorities to capture drug addicts with the infection, have recovered, the Navy said on Tuesday.

All the 906 Sri Lankan Navy personnel, who tested positive for the coronavirus in April while assisting health authorities to capture drug addicts with the infection, have recovered, the Navy said on Tuesday. In early April the sailors at the Welisara Navy camp in a northern suburb were found positive for the COVID-19 after they assisted health authorities to apprehend a number of drug addicts who were to be quarantined. The first Navy victim of COVID-19 was reported mid-April when the camp was ordered to be closed. Also read: Sri Lankan govt claims Ravana was the world's first aviator ''The Welisara Sri Lanka Navy cluster is no more infected as all 906 sailors have now recovered from the coronavirus,'' Captain Indika de Silva, who is also Navy's spokesperson, said. Sri Lanka has so far recorded 2,728 COVID positive cases but only about 600 of them are currently in hospitals. So far 11 deaths have been reported due to the contagious coronavirus. Also read: China's debt trap: Is India out of the Colombo Port deal? Sri Lanka is still grappling with its second largest cluster with over 500 cases from a drug rehabilitation center in the north central region. A sudden spike two weeks ago nearly forced another lockdown as contact tracing from the drug center led to cases from many areas. However the authorities said the cluster had been brought under control. The sudden spike led to more stringent application of quarantine laws with people being arrested on the streets for non-wearing of masks. Sri Lanka is scheduled to hold parliamentary polls on August 5 and it was only last week that health guidelines for conducting the election were announced.

All personnel with COVID-19 infection in April recovered, no deaths reported, says Sri Lankan Navy

The postal voting for over 700,000 Sri Lankan officers, who will be on duty on August 5 for the parliamentary polls, began on Monday amidst special security measures, following a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in the country.

The voting will go on for 5 days with two days reserved next week for those who fail to cast their vote this week.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-cancels-election-rallies-over-surge-in-new-virus-cases-312781">Sri Lanka cancels election rallies over surge in new virus cases</a>

Over 700,000 officers who will be on election duty on August 5 are eligible to cast their votes.

The election authorities said the voting in the north-central town of Rajanganaya was indefinitely postponed due to a COVID-19 threat. According to the health officials, a cluster has been forming in the area since last week with the infections from a drug rehabilitation center at Kandakadu in Polonnaruwa district.

Nearly 500 new infections, including 70 students, were detected from Kandakadu cluster. Around 600 close contacts of those who tested positive have been sent for quarantine.

"The cluster can be controlled," Dr Anil Jasinghe, the director general of health services, said, adding that the public had lowered guard against COVID-19 as the country was being re-opened after the lockdown.

In mid-June, the countrywide curfew was completely lifted and the focus was soon shifted to the August 5 parliamentary election.

With the growing threat from the new cluster, the government shut schools this week, the while main election rallies have been cancelled. The schools were only opened last week after the lockdown.

All election rallies of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa have been cancelled temporarily, the Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP) announced on Sunday, following a surge in coronavirus cases.

The country has so far reported 2,511 COVID-19 cases and 11 deaths.

Although the Elections Commission has said that the election will not be postponed again, a meeting to be held this week will assess the new COVID-19 threat.

The election originally scheduled for April 25 was postponed twice because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic threat has brought in severe health guidelines on campaigning. The counting of votes, which usually happens on the same night of the date of the poll, has now been put off to the next day.

There are over 16 million eligible voters in the country. The August 5 poll will elect a 225-member Parliament for a five-year term.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The postal voting for over 700,000 Sri Lankan officers, who will be on duty on August 5 for the parliamentary polls, began on Monday amidst special security measures, following a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in the country.

The postal voting for over 700,000 Sri Lankan officers, who will be on duty on August 5 for the parliamentary polls, began on Monday amidst special security measures, following a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in the country. The voting will go on for 5 days with two days reserved next week for those who fail to cast their vote this week. Also read | Sri Lanka cancels election rallies over surge in new virus cases Over 700,000 officers who will be on election duty on August 5 are eligible to cast their votes. The election authorities said the voting in the north-central town of Rajanganaya was indefinitely postponed due to a COVID-19 threat. According to the health officials, a cluster has been forming in the area since last week with the infections from a drug rehabilitation center at Kandakadu in Polonnaruwa district. Nearly 500 new infections, including 70 students, were detected from Kandakadu cluster. Around 600 close contacts of those who tested positive have been sent for quarantine. "The cluster can be controlled," Dr Anil Jasinghe, the director general of health services, said, adding that the public had lowered guard against COVID-19 as the country was being re-opened after the lockdown. In mid-June, the countrywide curfew was completely lifted and the focus was soon shifted to the August 5 parliamentary election. With the growing threat from the new cluster, the government shut schools this week, the while main election rallies have been cancelled. The schools were only opened last week after the lockdown. All election rallies of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa have been cancelled temporarily, the Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP) announced on Sunday, following a surge in coronavirus cases. The country has so far reported 2,511 COVID-19 cases and 11 deaths. Although the Elections Commission has said that the election will not be postponed again, a meeting to be held this week will assess the new COVID-19 threat. The election originally scheduled for April 25 was postponed twice because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic threat has brought in severe health guidelines on campaigning. The counting of votes, which usually happens on the same night of the date of the poll, has now been put off to the next day. There are over 16 million eligible voters in the country. The August 5 poll will elect a 225-member Parliament for a five-year term.

Postal voting for over 700,00 Sri Lankan officials begins amid new COVID-19 threat