COVID-19 Update 

•  NUMBER OF CASES 

• • 2,537 cases reported on the 01st

• 155 cases reported from Colombo 

• DEATH TOLL

• Sri Lankan death toll rises to 4,503
•  67 deaths reported on the 01st

• The World Health Organization praises Sri Lanka for it’s vaccine program of having completed vaccinating nearly 700,000 citizens.

• Vaccinations against the Corona Virus will be available for all individuals under the age of 30 soon. 

• 104,000 pfizer vaccines arrived in SL on the 02nd 

• All individuals must show their vaccination card when traveling in public transport. Bus fares will be charged double for those who are unvaccinated. 

• Legal action will be taken against wedding planners who violate the given health guidelines. 

• Professor Malik Periris from the University of HongKong expresses his fear that the resurgence of Covid-19 in East South Asia could be much worse. He states that the Delta variant present in Covid 19 will have a strong impact on Sri Lanka within the following weeks

• There is a major risk of an increase in corona-virus cases in Sri Lanka, especially in children 

• TEACHER STRIKE CONTINUES 

School teachers in Sri Lanka continue their strike refusing to provide online class services to students, until their needs and wants are met. 

• RUSSIA WELCOMES SRI LANKAN AIRLINE 

The International airport of Russia, Domodedovo, performs a water salute to welcome Sri Lankan airlines, after they resumed flights after a lengthy 6 year break. These flights will operate on a weekly schedule, flying from Colmbo to Moscow.  

• SINGER UMARIYA ARRESTED 

Singer Umariya Sinhawansa was arrested on Saturday evening, after her vehicle collided with a three-wheeler near the Rajagiriya flyover. The three-wheeler driver was rushed to the Colombo National Hospital after he was severely injured by the collision. The singer has now been released on bail, with her driving licence being temporarily suspended.

• THEME PARK PLAN APPROVED BY THE CABINET 

The Sri Lankan government has approved the plan of having 42 acres of land, being leased on a 30 year basis, to be a part of a tourism development project. The leisure theme park will be built in Matale. The land has been leased out to Fantasy Land Entertainment Ltd, by the Land Reforms Commision. They aim to help improve the tourism sector, by attracting both foreign and local tourists to the amusement park. 

• EXCORSIST ARESTED FOR RAPE. 

A 45 year old woman and a 19 year old were sexually assaulted by an exorcist during a ritual, in Landewela. The exorcist had instructed the men to leave the premises, before he raped the women. The 41 year old exorcist was produced at court yesterday, after he was arrested following a complaint to the police. 

• POLICE RAID CONTINUES 

After the rape and death of an child-maid at Rishad Baduideen’s Residence, the Woman and Children Police Bureau organized a plan to raid all houses in th western province in search of residents illegally employing underaged domestic workers. OIC Manoj Samarasekara stated that legal action will be taken against all found guilty of employing and abusing underaged domestic workers. 

• FOLLOW UP ON THE HISHALINI CASE 

Further investigations discovered that three out of eleven domestic workers previously employed at the former minister Rishad Baduideen’s Residence are dead, with a few more confessing to being raped. 

• AUSTRALIAN NEWS CHANNEL SUSPENDED ON YOUTUBE 

Youtube suspended Australian news channel, Sky News for a week, after they provided inaccurate information with regard to cvid 19. Youtube stated their rules regarding the spread of misinformation and their three strike policy, with the last strike leading to permanent removal of the channel. 

• OLYMPIC UPDATE 

The World’s new fastest man 

Italian athlete Lamont Marcel Jacobs gained a gold medal at the men’s 100m final at the Olympics. Lamont Marcel Jacobs scored a record breaking rate of 9.80 seconds, coming in as The World’s Fastest Man. The silver medal of the men’s 100m final went to the USA athlete Fred Kerley, with Andre De Grasse receiving the bronze medal. 

• FACEBOOK FRIEND ROBS JEWELRY 

A 23 year old woman was robbed of her jewelry by a 24 year old she had befriended on facebook. The 24 year old woman had visited her residence in Minuwangoda, from which she had stolen her jewelry.