The Daily Chokolaate – August 4th

COVID-19 Update 

•  NUMBER OF CASES 

• • 2,420 cases reported on the 02nd

• 286 cases reported from Colombo 

• • 2,450 cases reported on the 03rd

• 2 cases reported from Colombo 

• DEATH TOLL

• Sri Lankan death toll rises to 4,645
•  63 deaths reported on the 02nd

• Next Astrazeneca doses arrive next Saturday. 

• UAE approves sinopharm vaccinations for children. 

• Lady Ridgeway runs out of space to treat children infected with the Coronavirus. As the percentage of children getting infected with Covid-19 is on the rise in Sri Lanka, the hospital has taken a seperate building in Rajagiriya. 

• The government has stated that they have signed an agreement after deciding that it would be best to have all school children aged 12-18, injected with the Pfizer vaccine.

• No tsunami threat, SL coastal areas declared safe. 

• ALL SCHOOLS MUST REOPEN SOON 

The government states that all schools island wide must reopen as soon as possible. It has been identified that many children in remote areas of the island, who do not have the necessary requirements to follow through with online schooling have not been obtaining any form of education. This has proven that all schools must reopen soon. 

The educational minister heavily states the importance for schools to reopen. He continues to urge all teachers, academic and non-academic employees to take responsibility in having schools ready for the students. The government plans to reopen all 10,165 schools island wide in a systematic plan they have organized. 

• LEGAL CERTIFICATES CAN NOW BE OBTAINED ONLINE

All individuals can now register online, to obtain birth, marriage and death certificates.  The Registrar General Department started this online program on the 2nd of August, where all citizens can apply to receive the necessary documents using mobile and computer devices, with the payments being made through visa or mastercards online. The certificates are then delivered by express mail or can be collected from the district secretariat office.

• LIST OF NEW INFECTIONS IDENTIFIED IN CHINA 

Authorities in Wuhan have stated that they would be testing the entire population for Covid-19, after there was an outbreak of 61 cases, relating to the Delta variant. The city of Wuhan with a population of 11 million, will undergo comprehensive nucleic acid testing. The large-scale testing done has identified 40 new infections across the country, which started off at the Nanjing airport workers cluster, along with 7 locally transmitted diseases recorded from migrant workers in China.  

All residents of Yangzhou have been placed under lockdown, in order to prevent further spread of the viruses. The government has informed all the residents that only one household member may leave the house to purchase necessary items, per day. The city of Beijing in China has also instructed its residents to not travel outside of the city, unless it’s extremely important. Beijing has also stated that they will not allow anyone outside of the capital city to enter, in hopes of preventing further contamination with the viruses. 

• NEXT GENERATION THREE-WHEELER 

Sri Lanka invented the first electronic three-wheeler, which was designed and innovated by Vega using modern technology. The vehicle is now designed to have extra storage space to support goods, and has solar panels attached to the roof of the three-wheeler from which it receives its power. This innovation is expected to be launched in the year 2022. 

• SIBLINGS DROWN TOGETHER 

A 23 year old female visited Parayin Ella waterfall in Monaragala along with 7 other individuals including her brother, and passed away on the 2nd of August. The 30 year old brother had jumped down the waterfall, after the woman had slipped and fallen. Both siblings unfortunately passed away, after drowning in the Parayin Ella waterfall. 

• MAITHRIPALA SIRISENA APPLIES FOR PRESIDENTIAL POSITION. 

Former president Maithripala Sirisena has requested to contest for the presidency election to be held in 2024. He will now be backed up by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, who previously supported President Gotabaya Rajapaksha. 

• WORDS FOUND ON THE BEDROOM WALLS OF ISHALINI 

Detectives have discovered letters written in English on the walls of Ishalini’s bedroom, when investigating her bedroom for further clues with regard to her rape and murder, stated the Senior DIG and Police spokesman Ajith Rohana. 

The police and detectives have carried out further investigations into their new findings, and have sent the writings to the Handwriting Expert from the Government Analyst’s Department to identify if the 16 year old had written them. The handwriting in English letters will be compared with the handwriting portrayed in Ishalini’s school notebooks. 

The detectives have identified a tamil sentence written using English letters that form the meaning “The reason for my death..” . The victim Ishalini’s brother has stated that his sister didn’t have the knowledge required to write those letters, as they were presented in English. 

• THREE PEOPLE KILLED IN ROAD ACCIDENT. 

A road collision occurred in Meegoda, killing three individuals, including a 5 month old infant. The three victims were travelling in a three-wheeler when a lorry travelling at high speed collided into them, after losing control, due to the weather conditions. 

• PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTOR ATTACKED 

A 48 year old man was arrested after assaulting and spitting on a public health inspector, during a visit to carry out tests on a covid patient. The man was identified to be the father of a covid-19 patient, and will be produced in court. 

• 1987 ARANTHALAWA MASSACRE 

The Aranthalawa massacre that killed 33 bhuudist monks and 4 individuals in 1987, will be reopening up for further investigations by the Criminal Investigations Department of Sri Lanka. A budist monk who managed to survive the massacre, filed for fundamental rights in the Supreme Court in 2020.  He has stated that he wishes to have all the LTTE terrorists who were involved in the Aranthalawa massacre arrested and prosecuted in court. 

• THE SRI LANKAN GOVERNMENT EXPRESSED THAT LGBTQ RIGHTS WILL NOT BE LEGALIZED 

The Sri Lankan Government expresses that LGBT+ rights are in discussion, but will not be legalized or recognized. Keheliya Rambukwella stated that the rights of the LGBT+ community have been in discussion for a while, but their rights will not be legalized. He has also stated that he was not aware that the Sri Lankan police were harassing and assaulting members of the LGBT+ community. He has also stated that he was not aware of the specific incident regarding the councelor getting the police to agree with her to oppose same sex rleationships, and refused to comment upon it. 

• THE SEX TRAFIKING OF A 15 YEAR OLD 

While continuing to investigate into the sex traffiking case, have found two more individuals related to it, who have now been arrested and will soon be produced in court.